Are we too late?

[GYPSY JAZMINE]

I read the journal, and at some points I got chills.  Last night, after reading your posts and advice, I began to look at Sadie in a different way.  She's always under my feet because she loves me and doesn't want to miss anything...I will hide the garbage cans and she'll get lots of baths from the squirt bottle if she goes for the cat.  I think we are going to bite the (expensive) bullet and enroll her in school too.  My husband seems to think he knows how to train a dog (HA!)...but as you all reminded me, she's not a dog, she's a pyr.  I really do appreciate all the wonderful advice you guys gave me, just the sheer number of responses blew me away.  I look forward to posting more of our story in the future. 
Rachel

Good for you!...I am sure that training a Lab is a bit different than training a Pyr...I never had a Lab but I would wager to guess...Your Pyr will never be an obedience based dog but she will learn...It is just that often she won't comply if she doesn't see a reason to...It is recommended that you only train a Pyr for minutes a day because they see no need for repetition... Pyrs will roam so I hope you have a fenced area for her...The rescue I was talking with said the #1 reason for Pyrs being surrendered is that people always think they will get the one that can be boundery trained & this just doesn't happen...If you learn to love her independant nature you will find years of joy with your sweet, complicated minded girl!!!...Please look for a trainer that understands how the mind of a dog works...Not one that uses force!!...Pyrs are very sensative & you want your girl to trust you!...I have had to be a bit firmer with Samson than I would have liked too & had to take to using the alpha roll on him on occasion when he was around 8 months old but the times were few &far between...I am so happy you are going the extra mile with her!...Around the age of 1 she will start to turn into the serene girl she will be as an adult...Enjoy this puppy time!...Samson turned 1 & started turing into a "real dog"...I miss his puppy days so much! When you are at wits end try to remember this "3 years a young dog, 3 years a good dog, 3 years an old dog & anything else is a gift from God....I am looking forward to many stories about your sweet girl!

[cincbcat]

You guys are all great!  I feel like Sadie and I have found a new home :-)  To answer a question, yes she is potty trained already.  She even barks at the door to go out now which is awesome.  We boarded her for the first time when she was just 16 weeks, and boy that was really hard.  She hated it!  She came home and immediately peed in the house, it was like everything we taught her flew right out the window when she went to puppy camp.  And OH, the insubordinatio n!!! LOL  I am a teacher and I have students who aren't as insubordinate as this dog!!  She cracks me up though, we just had her spayed and the doc said no stairs or rough play or anything for two weeks.  Soon as she came in the door, she was up and down the stairs just like nothing happened.  Guess he doesn't understand her mind very well.  Come to think of it, our vet asked us what kind of dog she was the first time we brought her in.  HE-LLO!  Isn't that like, his job?  For those of you with Berners and GSMD's, I'm jealous.  I really want to get another "rare" breed, I see some serious butt-kissing happening in this house!
Rachel

[DixieSugarBear]

"I see some serious butt-kissing happening in this house!"  I so doing that, working on getting Pry # 3. 

[GYPSY JAZMINE]

You guys are all great!  I feel like Sadie and I have found a new home :-)  To answer a question, yes she is potty trained already.  She even barks at the door to go out now which is awesome.  We boarded her for the first time when she was just 16 weeks, and boy that was really hard.  She hated it!  She came home and immediately peed in the house, it was like everything we taught her flew right out the window when she went to puppy camp.  And OH, the insubordinatio n!!! LOL  I am a teacher and I have students who aren't as insubordinate as this dog!!  She cracks me up though, we just had her spayed and the doc said no stairs or rough play or anything for two weeks.  Soon as she came in the door, she was up and down the stairs just like nothing happened.  Guess he doesn't understand her mind very well.  Come to think of it, our vet asked us what kind of dog she was the first time we brought her in.  HE-LLO!  Isn't that like, his job?  For those of you with Berners and GSMD's, I'm jealous.  I really want to get another "rare" breed, I see some serious butt-kissing happening in this house!
Rachel

Be very careful with a vet that isn't familiar with Pyrs!...Because of their very slow metabolism there can be a tragic outcome when the proper anestheia isn't used...You want to make sure, if she ever has to be put under again, that the anestheia is reversible.