Phew, made it to the 3 months of having two vizslas under one roof. And not just any vizslas, but one of them happens to be the first Copper dog, Roper. Meet Roper here.
Looking back now, there were a lot of little moments that were actually huge stepping stones into where we are today. So, let’s start with the 3:3:3 rule that became our mantra:
• 3 days of being overwhelmed and anxious
• 3 weeks of settling in
• 3 months of building trust and a bond
Normally, the 3:3:3 rule applies to dogs that are adopted from a shelter and are settling into their new home. However, after doing more reading on the rule, I came the conclusion that it could be a baseline for any dog that is having his home-life and daily routine impacted in a big way. And a puppy was surely a big impact. Read how we went from the bad, to the good, and to the copper trusting in the 3:3:3 method.
The First 3 Days: The Bad
Luckily, we implemented strategies to make the puppy transition easier, and Cinch displayed little to no anxiety coming into a new home. Puppies are so resilient, but far could be said for Roper. Even though the 3 days of anxiety weren’t necessarily from “whose this?” Because we had acquainted them through smell prior to bringing Cinch home, and more of Roper going “she’s not leaving? Why does she like my bones? Why is she on my bed? How come she wakes me up? Why is she in MY spot in MY TRUCK.” and most of these questions were not answered in the most friendliest of ways. Don’t be alarmed, little Cinch girl was never hurt. Roper never attacked or bit, just no nonsense growls and get back snarls. Think of it as good lessons for Cinch to learn body language and tones when a dog is telling her to back off.
However, I’ll be honest. There were a few moments where I thought I didn’t even know my fun loving, harding working, Roper dog. We definitely consulted our vet (which I highly recommend if you ever have a question about behavior, people only associate vets to medical, but they can answer to the entire animal), who assured us that since Roper wasn’t making contact, and felt remorse after his outburst, he’s simply drawing his line with the new pup. And that puppies can be annoying, which made us all laugh.
After Day 1, we knew that we were going to have to help Roper adjust a little easier. After being an only dog for the last two years, and only 3.5, sharing his humans and home was almost unthinkable. Luckily, and I’ll be the first to admit how fortunate we were to be able to do what we did, and that not everyone going through a similar situation could be able to do. We split the dogs up during the day.
Back Story: When we first got Roper, I was a full time 11th & 12th grade English teacher, and so Gage actually took Roper to work with him to his job sites (the family builds custom homes). We felt whole heartedly that was the cause for Roper’s love of the truck and his calmness in them. Literally, put Roper in the truck and he’s content for hours. Like hours. Can’t get him out. Makes it convenient for long trips though, that’s for sure.
We knew we wanted Cinch to be just as comfortable in the vehicle as Roper. What we didn’t anticipate, was needing to take Cinch to work just to give Roper is workday back.
I now work from a home office as an Education Director, and Roper gets the house and yard to himself all day long. Which meant, for the next couple of weeks, Cinch and Roper had a schedule of going to work with Dad. Because you guessed right, after a few days of Cinch going to work, Roper woke up super early, ate breakfast, and demanded it was his turn to go. We threw in days where they would both be home with me (days I had no meetings scheduled). Just to begin the inevitable of having them home together all day long, every day.
3 Weeks: The Good
It really did take every second of the 3 weeks for Roper to settle back into his own home. Because as I said above, Cinch just fit right into the folds of things and never once showed any sign of anxiety or discomfort.
It could have been the camping trip that happened in those first few weeks (that deserves its own story of lessons learned 😅), or the reassurance that his spot in the truck wasn’t taken, he still gets his runs in with dad in the afternoon, and his bed is still his bed, or maybe a little bit of all of it. But slowly, Roper started to make the turn for the good.
We still needed to give him space and show him that we had his back by not letting her jump on him or bug him while sleeping. And it was during this period that we started introducing Cinch to her job, hunting. This also helped Roper as well, because he started to step in as teacher. I’ll pause, the first time we got the bird wing out, Roper wasn’t sure about letting Cinch have it, then we reminded him there were others. Same with antlers, that was a hard line Roper put down, some Cinch could have, others (like the ones he was personally there to find) she could not.
Although those first few weeks did seem overwhelming to us as owners in the moment, things did settle down and became not so tumultuous.
3 Months: The Copper
And now we are here. Since the 3 week mark and this 3 month mark, we’ve gone from prickly housemates to almost inseparable best friends. Cheers! I won’t kid myself, there is still work to do, and there will always be work to do while while Cinch is a puppy and doesn’t always think things through.
One thing that needs to be considered is Cinch’s size throughout the last 3 months. In the first 3 days, she was tiny and now looking back, we think a lot of Roper’s troubles were just how small she was. It was his first time being with that young of a pup and he had no idea how to interact with her.
As she’s grown, he has taken her under his wing and taught her how he likes to play, the love of fetch (and sticks 🙄), and a sense of adventure.
Both dogs are home with me now and have created their own little routine together while I’m working. Which mostly consists of lounging on the couch, out in the sun catching rays, and waiting for 3pm when my meetings are over and dad gets home. From then until bedtime, it’s a blur of copper running from one end of the property to the other
Although their bond isn’t quite finished in the making, it is there and Roper has found a strong sense of protectiveness (not possessiveness) over Cinch. The feelings are returned, Cinch feels great security in the presences of Roper in situations she’s not sure of. He is the first thing she looks at when deciding her next move.
And if you’re wondering about the truck. Roper isn’t too worried about her anymore stealing his spot. With the caveat that in the dads truck (the full size Chevy), she is still kenneled on rides, and in my truck, or as Roper likes to thinks his truck (the Tacoma) because it’s the hunting truck, she gets to ride out of the kennel on dirt roads. That was a HUGE step, because it was really the Tacoma that Roper didn’t want to share. But now look them at the chumps coming home from Memorial Day weekend camping
One thing I can say for is, is if you’re going through a situation where your first dog isn’t too keen on the newest addition, stay patient and trust the 3:3:3 rule. Obviously it won’t work for all dogs, but with most things, time usually works problems out.
Here are my most helpful tips going through 3 days, 3 weeks, and 3 months of going from Cooper Dog to Copper Dogs.
Tips for the 3:3:3 Rule
3 days: provide constant supervision and give the first dog plenty of their own time and affection. Remember, These first few days might be more about comforting your first dog. Especially if you’ve taken the steps to prepare for the new puppy.
3 weeks: stick to your existing routine. Even though puppy training throws a wrench into routines, try not to change your dogs routine. They should still be let out and fed on their normal schedule. Adjust the puppy’s schedule to match as closest to the first dog. Again, puppies are resilient and go with the flow as long as the flow is consistent.
3 months: allow the dogs to build a relationship on their own terms. It may be tempting to initiate play between them, but let them do it naturally, because they will. Dogs are pack animals and are extremely social. Play WILL happen, as long as it’s on their terms. A good rule of thumb is open mouth and lots of moving- playing. Taught mouth and ears back, no longer having fun and need to be separated.
As always, if you’re ever concerned about your dogs, consult your trusted veterinarian. If you don’t have one, or have quick access to one, the AKC provides a wonderful televet program.
I’m excited to watch Roper and Cinch continue to grow together and become a tight knit little hunting team. Now, it’s time to go see what mischief they thought up.
The Copper Dogs 