As you may or may not know, last week I made my “big decision.” I publicly announced which of my 7 then seven week old puppies I was going to keep for my own. 
Tomorrow night I will be hosting a “coaching call” for my “Puppy Peaks” members. There I will share more details on why I picked Momentum. In the end, the decision was easy as one puppy absolutely stole my heart.
The puppy formerly known as “Genie” is now officially named “Say Yes to the Game ChangeRR.” 
Her registration name reflects the fact that I am “changing my game” a bit. As I am moving from selecting only red & white Border Collies puppies over the past 25 years to going back to a black & white one.
“Momentum”, as she is now known, was selected for a number of reasons. She appeared to be part glamour girl, part tomboy and part class clown. And, in addition, at the time she also appeared to have a strong attachment to me. 🙂
However it seems like within moments of me making a public announcement that I had selected her as my very own, little Miss Momentum transformed from “attached” to “attacking”, from “brilliant” to “bullying”, from “sweet” to “sinful” and from “self-assured” to “self-absorbed”. I went from calling her fun, fearless and fascinating to other words that started with “F.” 🙂
Momentum leads the pack off on any adventure the moment an “escape” from confinement is possible.
I can say with a great deal of confidence that each of the other six puppy owners are THRILLED that they do not own her today!
Muddy faced Momentum on the run…in the opposite direction to me.
Yes, I think she quickly became the naughtiest puppy I have ever known!
Take a look at this video montage. What word or words would you use to describe this puppy if she was yours?
Now, of course, all of those “descriptors” are not really “who” this puppy is. It is just me giving names to MY emotions. Labels I put on the puppy while observing the act of her doing what currently just comes naturally to her. My puppy still is that sweet, self-assured and brilliant puppy she has always been. However until I direct what reinforces her in her environment towards what I like, she is going to continue to find those “naughty” but oh so fun for a puppy reinforcements on her own!
Confident puppies are often labelled as “independent!” The former is something you work with… the later is something you end up working against!
In “Mentum’s” world everything she does is just perfect! My job as her now official “trainer” is to make sure I alter all of those “unplanned coincidences,” those things or events that have produced amazing rewards for her thus far in her life in a better direction!
This transition will be another topic I will discuss with my Puppy Peaks community.
The transition happens through games. Lots and lots of relationship building games. Games the two of us love!
Playing the collar grab game with Momentum.
Games of all different varieties, in all different locations.
Learning to retrieve!
I know we will still have our share of struggles to overcome…but I also know we will have a lot of fun and learn a lot of lessons along the way.
Retrieving Momentum from her adventure in our pond :).
Puppy Peaks is about to get a LOT more interesting as it looks like I have a brand new set of challenges to overcome!
Today I am grateful for how much I already love “the naughtiest puppy I have ever known.” Can’t wait to see what life will look like a year from now :).
Thanks for sharing this, Susan. It warms my novice dog trainer heart to see that even the experts have to work through puppyhood and all the naughtiness that brings. Looking forward to watching more of Momentum’s antics over the year. Thanks for the smile!
Loved the video. Couldn’t stop laughing 🙂
I am glad I am in PP so I can watch how you over come the challenges the puppy will present.
What a riot!!! Love the fast forwards of you chasing her! yuk yuk
Really looking forward to being in the audience this year.
We get the dog we deserve.
It’s clear that Momentum will be a wonderful opportunity for all of us to learn what to do when things don’t go as planned. No can say, “Oh it’s just because you are ‘Susan’ that your dog is so great.” Instead we will get to be part of the learning process – seeing how to train a dog and overcome challenges that are presented. It’s an opportunity for us to continue in our own growth path for personal growth in our training journey. Thanks for sharing.
I received a puppy just like the one you have! (mine was 4 months old). He is a red 18″ (standard Poodle) Full of himself and love for life. Water – in he goes. Fountain, lake, hose. He is on it! Thank God for H360! His recalls have become Brilliant and now (10 months old) he brings back what he retrieves. However, last night my friend corrected him for something and he pulled his lips back, showed his teeth, and sneered at her! We both saw it and we were both amazed. Just like a teenager’s back talk – he isn’t aggressive, but…
I laughed so hard I’m crying!!
This is refreshing to see you dealing with a normal pup!! You will have more empathy for new ” moms” and I have a feeling “mo” is going to be one of your favorite pups in the long haul!! But I got tired just watching!!
A heart warming video and so, so, great to see that my pup (now 3 years old) was not ‘the only one with those antics’….also that you would put yourself out there ‘warts and all’ for us all to see. You are awesome and normal!!
Oh my! Self confident and humbling wee lass, isn’t she. You are going to have a ball with her, Susan. Let the games begin!
Oh I so understand the feeling. I had the same after picking my girl from my last litter. Looking forward to seeing what you do and what new adventures and games you experience with your naughty girl. I do love mine and am learning every day.
Too funny and you are so calm. I just got a five month old dachshund and its a good thing she is cute!
Oh my! She really is a little ball of fire! You definitely have your work cut out for you. Can’t wait to see the games you use. I have a 16 month old lab that has his naughty moments that could use some creative games.
How appropriate that her name is momentum. Newton’s second law of change in momentum, F=Dp/Dt also known as Force is equal to one determined puppy over one determined trainer.
Newton’s third law is that friction causes us to have forward momentum. Without it, we wouldn’t get ahead 🙂
I think she is that great puppy that will inspire you and the rest of the world to take that great energy and let it help us all grow as trainers.
I hope you will still have Puppy Peaks when I get my next puppy!
Love that puppy and she is the kind we usually choose…trying,yep but what personslity! Should be great at distance work with a little more control!!
Oh my! She is a little dynamo and so much naughty packed into that little body! Enjoy the ride it is going to be a wild/interesting one! 🙂
I was waiting for her to fall in the pond. She was leaning over so far.
Whew!! That is one naughty puppy. Now I don’t feel so bad when my puppy does those crazy things, too. Will look forward to your “games” to solve the problems.
Looks like a normal puppy from my household. What fun !
Are you ready to send me my puppy NOW? Love her but you already know I like em’ bad!!! Enjoy the ride!
If she wasn’t a bad puppy, I would be worried. All the other puppies are going to go through the change of house and owners and she isn’t. She already knows her environment. She will just keep going forward. Have fun.
She is sooooo sassy! What fun…
You are already have so much fun (bundled in with the frustrations) with Mentum. She is absolutely yummy! Best of luck to both of you… can’t wait to watch you along the way. Love and fun to all!
HER NAME SAYS IT all!!
Omigosh, it was wonderful to watch her be a “naughty” puppy! She appears to have so much energy and she’ll be a great joy to you. It also will be an encouragement to others knowing that puppies will be puppies and do not come pre-trained!
She is so bad I think she must be a tri border girl.
My Babboo is just the same, at 6 years old. Give him the chance, and he is gone. Seemed shy as a puppy; then found his “groove.” Still working with him, all these years along! Will watch for some new tricks for the old dog.
Little Miss Naughtoholic 😉 I think you will be laughing lots over the next months..and if there is nothing to laugh about anymore, we can always laugh about ourselves..Thank you for sharing the journey so far!
Can’t wait to watch her growing up :-). Watching Swagger grow through puppy peaks and seeing how you handled naughtiness has been such a help to my dog training.
Oh Susan, that was the funniest puppy video I have ever seen.
ADORABLE!!!! You have to be careful what you name your puppy! She is already living up to her name and will surely bring lots of momentum to Say Yes! HOW FUN!!!! She is perfect for you!
She would be a dangerous commodity in the hands of an amateur. Can’t wait to see her progress. In the mean time as you come up with appropriate nicknames, consider “Mofo”…lol
ROFL …that is hysterical Ruth!
Hahahahaha! You have your hands full! Can’t wait to see the transformation of a lively, fun, independent puppy into a world class agility competitor! I think she’s part Labrador Retriever!! My breed!! 🙂
I have Rottweilers and my mantra is that if a puppy does not make me bleed I am bound to find it boring LOL
hahaha! Not naughty! Normal. My BC puppy is almost 16 weeks now. He is beginning to figure it all out, and he was pretty naughty. I loved that and will miss the baby. Now we are moving into the next phase. I can’t wait for those baby teeth to fall out!
Oh she is a naughty pants- however I am sure you are up to the challenge.
Oh my. Well, 1 thing’s for sure….we are all going to benefit a TON from watching you train her. Thank you Mentum for being such a naughty girl. It wouldn’t be nearly as interesting if she was a Mary Poppins.
What a crack up! She is going to be a fun puppy 🙂
Oh wow – this could be my puppy Nikki (also a black and white BC) two years ago! I love her dearly but she has been the most challenging dog I have ever had. Will be looking forward to watching how Susan raises this little monkey.
Well, ya reallly couldn’t ask for a better ‘before’ video could ya Susan 🙂 🙂
Right dog, Right place!
You’re so right Nicki. Isn’t watching Susan train Momentum going to be educational and so much fun?
Oh my goodness she is exactly like my “naughty” sheltie Lexie! They make the best dogs! Although im positive you will be much more successful than I was in my training! Have a ball!
Oh sooo funny!! I think big brov Swagger has been whispering in that little girl’s ear, so reminds me of Swagger at that age…..and then some!!!!
Bless you for posting these videos of your “naughty” puppy. So often it all looks so easy, and I doubt my training when it doesn’t go as planned. This puppy adventure is going to be awesome.
Oh, how much fun…Love the joy in her and how fun will to see how work=play=work evolves with this little cutie!!
Haha! Take a moment now to get that out of your system, Genius 🙂
Ha, you have your puppy that is clone to my girl. I have lots of names for her as well.
Well Susan,welcome to puppy land! I’m sure it’s gonna be a fun ride
Oh My….she is so going to up the ‘entertainment value’ of Puppy Peaks! that collection is too funny. Can’t wait to watch and learn. BTW she is the one that I dreamt you kept – at about week 5 or 6?
Best laugh today. YOU GO MO!
Oh my!! There’s a reason God made them so cute 🙂 So much fun ahead…there is a lot of energy carried by those four little feet.
Ohhhhhhh.. this is going to be a fun year watching you and Momentum!! Made me smile thru the entire video! 🙂 🙂