"Chic"
Magna's My Little Chickadee

Owner Comments:

November 25, 2006

Pat,

Had to send this picture.  Tim caught it while I was in the kitchen cooking Thanksgiving dinner.  I named it "helping Mom cook Thanksgiving dinner is tough and requires a nap".

Our girl is doing just great.   Each day she continues to blossom and her personality just explodes.  I am so glad that we selected Magna for our new puppy.  After much research and going back and forth we decided that we wanted to go with a breeder that was close enough that we could pick up the pup.  I personally am not a fan of shipping and Tim was absolutely dead set that we would not buy a pup that would require shipping.  I understand that there are times that a pup must be shipped, but we personally, try to avoid it.  The drive from Michigan to West Virginia was well worth it.  It gave me time to start bonding with her and to help her work through any uncertainty of the new experiences and environments.  She did really well for being loaded up in a strange vehicle for a long ride.  When we would get out at a truck stop so that she could potty all the noise was slightly disconcerting the first time, but by the 2nd and 3rd time she was an old pro and not really concerned about the noise or big trucks.

I have to tell you that your web site is what sold me.  All of your pictures were of the pups being allowed to be pups.  They were playing and romping, covered in dirt and mud, and having a good time.  We saw so many other web sites during our search and the pups appeared to be in impersonal, kennel-type environments.  The pups didn't look happy.  On the Magna site there were so many pictures of you interacting and playing with the dogs/pups and that means a lot.  It goes a long way toward a dog that is well socialized and very personable and Chic is exactly like that.  She never meets a stranger and her tail wags so much that we think her rear is going to fall off. 

Your work with her for the first 5 months of her life has made a huge difference in where we are with our Obedience training.  While others in the class are struggling with stay, I can put her in a stay and walk away from her, return by walking around her and while she moves her head to watch me, she doesn't move anything else.  The best part in my book is the training you gave on keeping digits in tact when receiving "cookies and the training for good behavior when at the door.  I can put her in a stay, open the door to let the boys out and she doesn't bolt for the door, but sits there calmly waiting for me to call her.  And, in a reverse of teaching, she has taught the boys to sit and wait their turn when going outside.  There isn't a mass rush for the door any longer.  

I know we could have found a pup closer to us, but we firmly believe that we got the best.  The additional charge for getting an older pup that you have started to train is some of the best money we have ever spent.  I have been around Giants from various breeders and have never run into a dog as sweet, lovable, and well behaved as she is.  In fact when I was there all of your pups appeared to be just as sweet and well mannered.  Chic's breeding is exceptional, her personality just sparkles, and the training she received before she came to live with us is invaluable.  Tim, who was reluctant at first just keeps saying how happy he is that I stood my ground and said that this was the breeder and pup for us.  He is elated with our girl and said that if we decided to get another Giant (when something happens to one of the boys) that we will be calling you.

 Keep up the good work.  We'll be back I am certain of that!

 Deb

November 2, 2006

Pat:

Chic had a big day today.  She was romping and playing with Bud and Bud was showing her how to dig in the yard.  Between the two of them, had the mole been anywhere around, he would have never stood a chance.  Needless to say tomorrow or Monday will need to be bath time.  She is covered in crusted mud.  Her nose, her paws - everything.  It is adorable, but we want her to be a pretty girl for her first evening of school.

She is just a dream.  We start obedience school Monday, but have a jump start on the class.  I have been working on recall and stay.  I don't know if you had been working on stay, but I can open the door and walk out with out her trying to dart out.  That has to be one of the hardest things to teach, but she either had a head start before we got her or she picked it up very quickly.  I also have her where she comes to me when I call her.  She is also learning "leave it" (with Roxy and the boys that is probably the command that I used the most).  She is catching on, but we still have some work to do. 

Potty training is going very easy.  We are up to almost 2 hours before we have to go out when in the house playing.  She is making it all night without any accidents in her crate.  I was taking up the water bucket about 2 hours before bed time since she likes to drink.....a lot!  Last night I left the bucket down to see what happened.  She drank quite a bit about 2 hours before bed.  I made sure she went out and pottied right before bed and we had a dry crate this morning.

I'll be sending some cute pictures of how tired she was earlier today (and right now they are all napping in their crates).  She didn't even hear me get the camera, take the pictures or go outside.  She was out. She just keeps blossoming every day right before our eyes.  Tim told me today that he was glad that I "hounded" (pardon the pun) him about getting a dog from you.  The time you put in with the dogs makes a huge difference in their behavior and personalities.  She is an absolute joy.

Deb

October 31, 2006

Pat,

Our new girl is doing great.  No accidents in the house today.  She is going to the door and either whining or goes to the door, comes to us and then goes to the door again.  Each time she goes outside and potties.  I am very proud of her.  Today we went for a car ride to help reinforce that she comes home with us when she leaves.  We went to the bank and the up to the Vet's office for Dr. Broschay to see her.  She absolutely loved her as does all the staff - they spoil her rotten, worse than we do.

We went for a walk along the river yesterday (Bud, Harvey and Chic and they had all their manners and were well behaved).  She was so funny when she saw all that water for the first time.  She just stood and stared at it.  It sure looked like it could be fun.  I almost felt like she was going to turn and say "how much trouble would I be in if I jumped in for a little swim?".  I was very proud of her, with the river along one side and a fairly busy road on the other side she didn't shy away from anything.  The cars and trucks didn't even phase her, including the car that went by without a muffler.  She just pinned her ears back but didn't try to hide or get away from it.

Each day we see her personality emerge more and more.  She is such a wonderful pup and so loving.  She is terrorizing the boys.  For the most part they oblige her, but they let her know when they don't want to be bothered.  They just growl and she decides that maybe that wasn't the best idea she has had.  She goes and finds a toy or something else to get into.

The new raw diet is going over pretty good.  I caught chicken on sale at the store today and almost cleaned them out.  The manager was teasing me about needing to restock the chicken section after I was done.  Harvey did better with it today and Bud didn't have any problems at all.  Today was the first time that Tim got a chance to see her reaction when I start preparing her "traditional" dinner.  She just stood fixated with her little tail almost wagging off her butt.  He was laughing at her and decided that she knows exactly what I am doing and what Chicken is - there is no doubt in his mind.

Deb