# Introducing Cody



## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

My little man came home today. We have had a busy day. He has the appetite of a velociraptor. He naps like he’s a grandpa. And he looks just like Fozzy Bear. 

Big sister Bella is doing very well with him. She seems very happy and playful. We’re taking it very slowly and giving her lots of love.


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## cwag (Apr 25, 2017)

Aww, very sweet picture. Enjoy that fuzzy cutie; they grow so fast.


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## OscarsDad (Dec 20, 2017)

What a heart melter!


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Cody's so cute, Congratulations!


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## Ivyacres (Jun 3, 2011)

Goodness, so cute!


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## JulesAK (Jun 6, 2010)

Congratulations! He is darling 
Jules


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)




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## diane0905 (Aug 20, 2010)

He's very cute! Enjoy Cody!


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

Aw, he looks very cute. Pick him up as much as possible - they don't stay little for nearly long enough!


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

Today was a good day. A full day of playtime, naps, and proper feeding and he had so much more energy! He is zonked out now.


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

The little man keeps us busy! It seems the only time I can capture a picture is when he falls asleep. So, here’s a dogpile on the couch (Bella is on the floor next to us).


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

Here’s a few still photos from some videos we took. Bella and Cody are bonding very nicely. Big sister is enjoying the playtime and is being patient and gentle. The boy... well, he’s all boy.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Great pictures, good to hear they are getting along so well. 
He's so cute...


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## I'm Elaine (Oct 27, 2020)

He's gorgeous!! Reminds me so much of my Kodi!


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

Awww thanks! We think he is pretty special, too! He has an incredible drive and focus. His nose is going all the time, especially if food is in the air.

He is starting to love to fetch the wing and canvas bumper. He is so serious about the wing! As he closes in on it, he makes a serious of pounces and a hrff, hrfff, hrrrrf growling every time he bounces.

He is now coming to his name. He sits and he is learning to place. Tonight after dinner, he went to the back door because he needed to go potty. A whole 6 days in the house and he is making good progress.

At the same time, he is very strong willed and loves mischief. He fearlessly flings himself at Bella. The more she rebuffs him, the more determined he becomes.


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

Working from home certainly helps, but our days have been extended as we have to take turns blocking out time between meetings and classes to watch the boy.

Evidently, while 5:30 is early enough for breakfast, 6:30 is too early to be awake. 










And how could you not love that face!


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

Crate training is going slowly, but we’re making progress. He definitely enjoys his sleeping bag in my office during the afternoon.









Bella is getting more and more comfortable playing with him. She has crazy eyes in this one, but she was loving every minute of it!


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

Well, this white stuff is pretty fun!


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

My wife takes much better than I!


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

Cody is learning to walk on the leash and getting better at “down”. He knows “place” and “sit”, and we keep practicing those. I will be reading up this weekend on how to start training “heel” and “here”.

I think that will cover basic obedience. What other commands should I consider?

We talk to him all the time and we believe it helps with development. He knows “get out of there” and “leave it” just because he hears it often enough! LOL

Bella and Cody are not quite on cuddling terms yet. He still compulsively bites and tugs her fur. Once that settles down, she won’t mind. For now, a little distance is healthy. 










And just because not every hour is productive, here is the boy being a boy.


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

Cody is doing very well. Crate training is still not done, but we’re making slow and steady progress. We have been feeding him in the crate and giving him some time in the crate during the day. He doesn’t like having the door closed, but we hope he will get more comfortable with it over time. 

He loves going for a walk! We’re working on walking without pulling. He also wants to hold his leash, so he is learning to “leave it” if he wants to walk. He is getting 2-3 walks a day while we are on break. 

I am also getting some bonding time as we explore off-leash in the fields nearby (on a 10’ lead so I can catch him if needed). He sticks pretty close, but he also has some independence and desire to explore. I think it will be a benefit once he gets to field training.

Of course, the snow melt means mud, so he is on bath #3. The hair dryer doesn’t bother him at all. We had a breakthrough with bath time this week. I was giving Bella a foot bath in a couple inches of warm water. Evidently, Cody though if it was good for her, it was good for him, too. So, in he went with her!









The little man is brave, too! We have been introducing him to different noises and machines since he got home. Banging pans, a cap gun, and other loud noises don’t bother him at all. I have had the lawnmower out in the backyard so he could get accustomed to it. That progressed to pushing it around the yard without it running. Today, I started it for the first time and pushed it across the yard. He isn’t bothered by it at all. He barely gave it a notice.

I’m doing my best to call him Cody, but with his bear likeness and growly, talkative nature, I can’t help but call him my little Kodiak.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Cody (Kodiak) is such a cute boy, enjoying reading about him.


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

We have finally had a breakthrough in the crate training. Just when we were about to give up, we convinced ourselves of the imperative of being crate trained. We just kept changing approach until we found what worked for him. We tried the basics of introduction with treats, praise, and short sessions. We kept adding to our repertoire.

Feeding in the crate really seemed to make him more comfortable in it. 

Crate time during the day seemed to have speeded up his training.

While this will be controversial, we had to go to a larger crate. We have 4 plastic crates for the stages of golden growth, plus one adult-sized wire kennel. Moving to this wire kennel made the biggest difference. He is a restless sleeper and he changes positions often. He also likes to stretch out. This difference in his reaction to this crate was night and day compared to the plastic crates.


















And one more, because I love this little guy! Bonding is definitely a two way process, and I am now very attached.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Good to hear you're making progress, he's such a cute little guy.


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

CAROLINA MOM said:


> Good to hear you're making progress, he's such a cute little guy.


Thanks! You are always very kind.


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

Bella and I went on a 2-day hunting trip. I think Cody missed us as much as we missed him.

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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

This handsome little guy just melts my heart.


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

They grow up so fast!

















And here he is passed out in the office.


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## Rundlemtn (Jan 16, 2015)

You're right! Our pups looks very similar playing in the yard together. I love that last photo of him passed out in your office


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## goldielynn (Sep 5, 2020)

granite7 said:


> We have finally had a breakthrough in the crate training. Just when we were about to give up, we convinced ourselves of the imperative of being crate trained. We just kept changing approach until we found what worked for him. We tried the basics of introduction with treats, praise, and short sessions. We kept adding to our repertoire.
> 
> Feeding in the crate really seemed to make him more comfortable in it.
> 
> ...


I'd love to hear more about your breakthrough! We're in the thick of it now with our 9 week old. It's ups and downs with crate training. I've been conflicted about his water intake so close to bed time. He seems to be a stress drinker, and loves to drink his water... and if I don't let him have enough water, he ends up panting in his crate and whines just for water. I know that he just wants water because when I open the crate door, he doesn't even want to come out sometimes and just drinks water... which makes me continuously need to wake up in the middle of the night to take him out. And the whole thing is just encouraging him to whine more at bed time.

Did you also find that putting a bed in his crate made the crate more comfortable to him?


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Love this, he is one happy and relaxed little guy.


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

goldielynn said:


> I'd love to hear more about your breakthrough! We're in the thick of it now with our 9 week old. It's ups and downs with crate training. I've been conflicted about his water intake so close to bed time. He seems to be a stress drinker, and loves to drink his water... and if I don't let him have enough water, he ends up panting in his crate and whines just for water. I know that he just wants water because when I open the crate door, he doesn't even want to come out sometimes and just drinks water... which makes me continuously need to wake up in the middle of the night to take him out. And the whole thing is just encouraging him to whine more at bed time.
> 
> Did you also find that putting a bed in his crate made the crate more comfortable to him?


I noticed the same about panting with Cody for the first week, or so. I slept on the floor with him for the first couple of days while he adjusted to the crate. I’m not sure if that helped, but every time he would wake up he would start panting and get himself worked up. As soon as he was free, he would make a beeline for his water dish.

In my opinion, I think he was a tiny pup and he couldn’t store (or hold) much water in him. It takes them time for their little bodies to be able to hold it. It felt inhumane to deny him water when he was clearly thirsty, especially because the air is so dry in Colorado. So, we let him drink when he clearly wanted it. Getting up multiple times per night should be over with by the first month at home. At least, it was for us.

By about 9 weeks, we were exhausted and decided to set alarms and take turns taking him out every 3 hours. He was able to hold his water that long, and he would drink water as soon as we let him. Honestly, at this point he was still crying and not getting much sleep at night because of it. Now, he doesn’t usually drink water on his potty break overnight. When he comes in, he makes a beeline for the couch. I sit with him for 10 minutes until he is asleep again, and then put him in the crate.

We kept trying different things that I described earlier, and finally at 11.5 weeks, we moved to an adult sized kennel. As you can see, Cody likes to stretch out. He is a restless sleeper and moves or rolls over often. I don’t know if it was the size or just not being in a plastic “box” that helped him, but it did clearly help. 

That crate also had the pad that you mentioned. That probably contributed to his comfort because it smelled like Bella. She used it until she was about a year old. Our breakthrough was just a combination of things that finally worked for him. We did like you are doing now and checked to see what other people had tried and found what worked for Cody.

To answer your question about the crate pad, we aren’t using it now because it came apart in the washing machine. Cody picked something up on a walk and ended up with a bacterial infection. The poor guy had explosive diarrhea that started in the middle of the night and that was the beginning of the end for the crate pad. The crate has a plastic floor and we put acrylic throw blankets in the crate for him. It would be much easier to clean now if he had an accident (he hasn’t had one other than that night). 

He gathers the blankets up into a bed and sleeps on them. Other times he sleeps on the plastic floor. Even though we only heat to 68 degrees, I think he gets too warm in his thick fur coat. I think the blankets overall are a better solution than the crate pad.

We also cannot crate him upstairs in the bedroom. When he knows he has an audience, he will serenade us the whole night. He has the lungs of an opera star! He gets crated by the patio door and we check in on him every 4 hours now. We don’t hear him cry or whimper that way. It means that potty training won’t be as quick with him, because we aren’t there to hear him cry to go out. Instead, we just schedule his potty breaks so that he has to hold it but gets to go out before he loses it. 

I just try to remember that we are in it for the long game, and I’ll sacrifice quick wins for long term success. We will just be increasing his time between breaks so that he learns to hold it, as his body is able. We believe he can go 5 hours now at 13.5 weeks, and we will be changing the schedule this weekend.


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## goldielynn (Sep 5, 2020)

granite7 said:


> By about 9 weeks, we were exhausted and decided to set alarms and take turns taking him out every 3 hours. He was able to hold his water that long, and he would drink water as soon as we let him. Honestly, at this point he was still crying and not getting much sleep at night because of it. Now, he doesn’t usually drink water on his potty break overnight. When he comes in, he makes a beeline for the couch. I sit with him for 10 minutes until he is asleep again, and then put him in the crate.


I'm so glad to hear that I'm not the only one with a water junkie. Though we're trying to phase it out little by little, limiting his access to his bowl as he goes out for his middle of the night potty breaks. We also have two alarms for night time right now as well, and we're super happy to hear that his water habit isn't going to carry on for forever. Looking forward to hearing more about Cody's progress. Please keep us posted!


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## cheng271 (Aug 27, 2020)

They are both so adorable! what a happy life!


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

Bella is so incredibly patient with the little one. He is relentless and toothy!

Please pardon the backyard. The grass is toast from a very dry winter and all of us trampling the grass down while we play with the pups.


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## Joanne & Asia (Jul 23, 2007)

Great pics! What a good girl Bella is being with her new little buddy


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Great pictures of Bella and Cody having fun. 
He's growing so fast.


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

Snow day!

Less than an inch turned out to be 3-4” of good fluff. Cody is loving it! Last night he got a case of the zoomies and was trying to catch the flakes as they fell.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Great fun for them!


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

My goodness, he’s growing up fast!


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## I'm Elaine (Oct 27, 2020)

Gorgeous! Love the pictures playing in the snow!


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## I'm Elaine (Oct 27, 2020)

granite7 said:


> My goodness, he’s growing up fast!


He looks like he's getting huge! Or maybe you are just tiny! Beautiful pictures of a happy puppy and lady!


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

I'm Elaine said:


> He looks like he's getting huge! Or maybe you are just tiny! Beautiful pictures of a happy puppy and lady!


Thank you! This is my beautiful and petite step-daughter. Cody does look huge in perspective! Haha


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

Now that Cody is far enough in vaccinations, I was able to grab a spot in a local meetup group run by a local trainer. He had a great time playing with the other pups! There were 7 pups and he was in the group of the larger, more confident pups. He played with a doodle, a border collie, and a lab mix. I only have stills from video, but as you can see, he was a blur!


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

We’re all laughing about the crazy eyes and my wife sends us this...


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

I read about other goldens and how they pick up sticks on their walks. Here in Colorado, it’s tumbleweed.









This was a cute moment, while he was still sleepy and sweet after a nap.


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## diane0905 (Aug 20, 2010)

Love that last photo. Beautiful and so sweet.


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

diane0905 said:


> Love that last photo. Beautiful and so sweet.


Thank you! They both love each other.

He’s a smart fella, too. We noticed a week ago that he could see her looking at something in a tree or across the yard and then turn to see the same thing. Bella has never understood pointing or line of sight, but he does already.

Tonight he managed to pull Bella’s food box off of the shelf and unlatch the lid. I wish we had a video of it! Now that it has happened, he will never forget.


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

Love the photo updates! So fun to see the changes, I am always amazed at how quickly they grow. That last photo of them sitting together would be framed and on my wall. Really sweet. Keep the photos coming!!


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

I was just thinking that I didn’t have any new pictures for a day or two. Then I hear him restless and barking behind me. I turn around, and here is what I see. 










He has figured out how to jump into the chair. He has been on the couch for weeks, but he has a step stool to climb up. This is the beginning of him being able to jump


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

granite7 said:


> I was just thinking that I didn’t have any new pictures for a day or two. Then I hear him restless and barking behind me. I turn around, and here is what I see.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Dad, dad, look at me Dad, see what I can do...

He looks very proud of himself too.


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

It’s that time of night again...


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

Cody is having a good day today. He seems to be adjusting to my work and his nap schedule. It makes me happy to have them both hanging out in the office while I work.


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

Cody starts to push his food dish around about an hour before mealtime. Food is very important to him!

A few days ago, we realized that he’s trying to pick it up and take it to his “place”. Because of the design, he would have to flip it over to carry it past the gate at the kitchen.

Well, today, he figured it out.









Edited to add:
He fell asleep on the water dish last night.


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## Rundlemtn (Jan 16, 2015)

He sounds like a lot of fun! A real personality to bring lots of laughter to the house!


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

3Pebs3 said:


> He sounds like a lot of fun! A real personality to bring lots of laughter to the house!


Thank you. We are sure enjoying his antics! I have a feeling he will be keeping us on our toes for the rest of his life.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Male goldens are so much fun.... love their antics. 

Are you finding a big difference in personalities between him and your girl?

I've had two males and one female, I liked having one of each, but I have to say, I really like the boys better because they are silly.


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## Ontariodogsitter (Feb 23, 2020)

Thank you for posting, what a pleasure to visit with your dogs,
the chair picture reminds me of the time we were fostering a Jack Russel and I was doing my taxes, she sat on my lap for a day and next day when I walked in to my office she was sitting in my chair, waiting.....


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

CAROLINA MOM said:


> Male goldens are so much fun.... love their antics.
> 
> Are you finding a big difference in personalities between him and your girl?
> 
> I've had two males and one female, I liked having one of each, but I have to say, I really like the boys better because they are silly.


He definitely has his own personality! He is inquisitive, brave, and determined.

Bella is loving, a little timid, and stubborn as a mule. I love her, too!

The difference I notice is that Bella is my baby. If I am in the house, she wants to be near me. If I am gone, I am told she waits at the door for me.

Cody, on the other hand, loves my wife and my daughters. He greets them with such love! My wife’s voice is a siren song to him. I swear I can see him swoon when she talks to him


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

That's how it was in my household, I was my boy's person and my girl was all daddy's girl.


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

Ontariodogsitter said:


> Thank you for posting, what a pleasure to visit with your dogs,
> the chair picture reminds me of the time we were fostering a Jack Russel and I was doing my taxes, she sat on my lap for a day and next day when I walked in to my office she was sitting in my chair, waiting.....


Now that is funny! I can just picture a JRT waiting for you in the chair.

Thanks for your post. Comments like this make it a lot of fun to share.


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

Lunchtime from remote learning. He is just a little love bug.


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

Trying a quick iPhone video...



http://imgur.com/a/MQ7hOlJ


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## gr56 (May 11, 2019)

granite7 said:


> Trying a quick iPhone video...
> 
> 
> 
> http://imgur.com/a/MQ7hOlJ


Man what a nice large yard they look like they are having so much fun


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

gr56 said:


> Man what a nice large yard they look like they are having so much fun


Thank you! I only wish this was my back yard! I can barely afford a postage stamp here in Colorado let alone an acre or two  My small backyard of grass is destroyed right now between a patio project, dogs ripping up the grass by the roots, and us trampling the grass down while we take the pup outside.

This was recorded at our neighborhood park on one of our daily walks. Cody is so fast that he catches her and grabs her hair. He ended up here with a mouth full of her tail. Poor girl! You can kind of see it happen at the end of the video.


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

I just love these awkward growth stages! Cody is long and lanky right now. He will be 16 weeks / 4 months old tomorrow. He is 16” and 26.7 pounds.

Lazy Sunday Morning


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

It is starting to snow a little outside.


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

I am pleased to say that Cody is adapting to a quiet daytime. Of course, he is crazy at night to make up for it.

Bella is so sweet and gentle. He has taken over her spot on the couch, and she just lets him have it.


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

Today we had a nice lunchtime run in the snow to wear him out for the afternoon.



http://imgur.com/a/ngcxRsM


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)




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## Rundlemtn (Jan 16, 2015)

Getting so big!


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

They grow up so fast, don’t they? He is very lean but he has some long legs.


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

It is a gorgeous day here. It is 50 degrees and sunny. I love how warm our sunshine feels in Colorado!

The dogs found a couple balls at the park today. Bella was really enjoying fetch and she was better than usual at retrieving. Cody learns from watching her. 

We have been playing fetch with Cody inside every day. This is the first time he was outside in the wide open and he retrieved! I’m so happy for that progress!

They were both hot and worn out. Bella is smart to seek shade and snow to cool off.









She was fixated on an old tennis ball. The nastier and dirtier, the better. He enjoyed this pickleball.









Bella was quite pleased with herself after laying claim to both balls. 









And then, it’s nap time.


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

Just checking in on progress. Cody had a vet checkup yesterday and is doing great. He is 17 weeks old and just in the beginning stages of teething. We’re pleased with his body condition. He is lean and strong.

We are very excited to be starting on Freddy King’s (The Retriever Trainer) training series.

And just a silly pic with his tongue sticking out.


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## cwag (Apr 25, 2017)

It looks like he needs to learn how to relax a little, ha ha.


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

Cody is 18 weeks old today. He started teething over the past week. Right now he has the upper middle incisors in and it looks like buck teeth [emoji1787]

The lower middle incisors came out over the weekend and the adult teeth are starting to come in now.

He is very relaxed about letting us take a look at his toofers. Even though it looks like I’m prying his jaws open, he’s a really good sport. 

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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

I am afraid to ask, “what’s next”. 

This morning, he leapt over the baby gate to escape the kitchen/office area. There will be no containing him now [emoji1787]

This afternoon, I went to let him in from the back yard and he was wound up like a 10 day clock and his head was soaking wet. What in the?

It is bone dry outside and I have no idea where he could have found water. After walking the fence line, I notice this.









So, I turned it off and tightened it down. No sooner do I finish than he starts growling and biting the handle.









The little stinker has figured out how to turn on the spigot!

He has been to the park to run off leash twice today and we walked around the block. I have a feeling this boy will hunt all day long come fall.


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

Looks like he's keeping things hopping at your house  Love the photos and how Bella is so good with him. I hope she gets extra ice cream on the weekends - you'd be in trouble without her help  I know I'll never have just one dog at a time again at my house. Keep the photos coming, so fun to see him growing, that belly up photo with his tongue out is so funny.


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

nolefan said:


> Looks like he's keeping things hopping at your house  Love the photos and how Bella is so good with him. I hope she gets extra ice cream on the weekends - you'd be in trouble without her help  I know I'll never have just one dog at a time again at my house. Keep the photos coming, so fun to see him growing, that belly up photo with his tongue out is so funny.


Oh, you are so right about that! We lost both of our previous dogs within 6 months of each other (a golden retriever and a sheltie). We waited almost 3 years to get another pup, which was Bella. Oh my goodness! We totally forgot how much work it is to raise a pup. We determined then to get our next one while Bella was still with us. She has been a tremendous help! 

You’re right, we should get her a pup cup from DQ this weekend. She gets her reward every night when she is allowed to sleep undisturbed on the bed.


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

The little man is doing great. He is very affectionate and he is really tuned in to my voice. 

It seems like he is having some trouble teething. In a couple places, his baby teeth have not come out, but the adult teeth are already coming in. I hope this sorts itself out. We didn’t have this trouble with Bella and she has beautiful teeth. She has slightly dropped incisors, but other than that, her teeth are perfect. I hope his turns out well for him.


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## Rundlemtn (Jan 16, 2015)

granite7 said:


> The little man is doing great. He is very affectionate and he is really tuned in to my voice.
> 
> It seems like he is having some trouble teething. In a couple places, his baby teeth have not come out, but the adult teeth are already coming in. I hope this sorts itself out. We didn’t have this trouble with Bella and she has beautiful teeth. She has slightly dropped incisors, but other than that, her teeth are perfect. I hope his turns out well for him.


I remember this happening with Rundle, and her teeth turned out great. I wouldn't worry at all!


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

Cody is coming up on 5 months old. He is done with his vaccinations until next year. His Embark results were exactly what we hoped for.

A couple interesting notes.
He is still a bit smaller than average (34lbs @ 5mos), but Embark says this:

















The “wolfiness” made me laugh, thinking of the way he plays with Bella.

It also predicts normal food motivation levels, yet he is a chow hound! I guess that still can’t explain everything [emoji23]

All in all, we are very pleased with his progress. We enjoyed reading his Embark results so much that we are going to do Bella’s next.

Here are a few pictures from the past few weeks. We don’t have as many because life has been moving so fast lately.


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## Rundlemtn (Jan 16, 2015)

granite7 said:


> All in all, we are very pleased with his progress. We enjoyed reading his Embark results so much that we are going to do Bella’s next.
> 
> Here are a few pictures from the past few weeks. We don’t have as many because life has been moving so fast lately.


So fun! I plan to do Summit's at some point as well! But, I have so many dog-related things I want to buy that I can only purchase a few things at a time. Lots of time to do her genetics panel.


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

3Pebs3 said:


> So fun! I plan to do Summit's at some point as well! But, I have so many dog-related things I want to buy that I can only purchase a few things at a time. Lots of time to do her genetics panel.


I totally understand! My beautiful bride’s car finally died yesterday after 19 years and 272k miles, so we are about to have a car payment again...


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

I was focused on Q2 spending plan spreadsheets, when a noise caught my attention. It was Cody. Snoring. Under the desk.









A couple random updates:
Monday was the official 5 month birthday and he weighed in at 36.6lbs. 
His top & bottom incisor baby teeth have finally come out and the new teeth look great!
Saturday we have our first experience at a field training day with the HRC. Yay!


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

This is becoming a normal occurrence...









That about sums up my day.


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## CCoopz (Jun 2, 2020)

I’ve never had a puppy always had rescues. Teddy was 18 months when we got him.

I had never given the teething thing much thought. Fascinating to see the photo of your pup with his baby teeth then now with some puppy teeth and some adult teeth coming through.

No wonder they love to chew during the teething phase.


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

Yes, it must be so uncomfortable for them because they just want to chew and chew. He LOVES ice cubes. When my wife fills her travel mug with ice in the morning, he comes running when he hears it. The frozen wash cloth has been good, too.

Funny you mention his adult teeth showing through. At one point, his top middle two incisors came in first. They were so much bigger than his baby teeth that I called him “Bucky” for a few days [emoji1787]


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

Snow day!

We are starting to get into the snowy part of our winter now. We had been expecting about an inch all week long. Yesterday, a winter weather advisory was issued for 3-6”. We ended up with about 9” of fresh powder. The pups LOVE it!


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## goldielynn (Sep 5, 2020)

granite7 said:


> Yes, it must be so uncomfortable for them because they just want to chew and chew. He LOVES ice cubes. When my wife fills her travel mug with ice in the morning, he comes running when he hears it. The frozen wash cloth has been good, too.
> 
> Funny you mention his adult teeth showing through. At one point, his top middle two incisors came in first. They were so much bigger than his baby teeth that I called him “Bucky” for a few days [emoji1787]


Hahahaha!!! Windsor loves ice cubes as well. He could be eating his own meal, playing, sleeping... and if I so grab an ice cube, he will stop immediately and come to me sitting for one. And on the other hand... if a helicopter flies overhead or an ambulance siren drives by, he still remains in a deep sleep.


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## diane0905 (Aug 20, 2010)

The snow looks so fun!


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

diane0905 said:


> The snow looks so fun!


Yes! I think we both had almost as much fun as the dogs. You can see we were snapping phone pics the whole time. We were taking turns running to opposite sides of the park to entice the dogs to wear themselves out. Thanks for your post!


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## rosegold (Nov 9, 2016)

Those pups look like they're really enjoying their snow day! Love the sunrise (sunset?) in the background of the first photo as well.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Your pups sure enjoyed the Fresh powder, great pictures.


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## Lovin'Goldens (Feb 17, 2021)

Looks like they are having tons of fun in the snow! 😊


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

rosegold said:


> Those pups look like they're really enjoying their snow day! Love the sunrise (sunset?) in the background of the first photo as well.


Thanks! Yes, we walk the dogs at sunrise so we can both get to work on time. Yesterday was a snow day for my wife, so we had some extra play time at the park before I had my first conference call.


CAROLINA MOM said:


> Your pups sure enjoyed the Fresh powder, great pictures.


Thanks! My old iPhone isn't a great camera, but it still captures the memories. 



Lovin'Goldens said:


> Looks like they are having tons of fun in the snow! [emoji4]


Yes, the patio door should have been a revolving door. I would no sooner dry their paws than they would be asking to go back out.


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

On Saturday, we went to our very first training day at the local HRC. It was inspiring to see the dogs work, and I know there is a ton of work to get a dog to this point. Looking from the start of our journey, we are excited but feeling a little behind the learning curve.

Neither my wife nor I captured any pictures of the action, but here is one from the club. Cody and I are dead center. I was trying to calm him down so he would stop barking during the instructions. Lesson learned. He will have to stay at the truck during this phase.









We had the opportunity to follow a couple of handlers and their dogs on the course so that Cody could experience some gunfire. He has been conditioned to loud noises and even a cap gun when we play fetch at home. He seemed totally comfortable with gunfire. I noticed him watching the birds fly, and he even acted like he wanted to run over to a downed bird nearby.

There were a lot of goldens working that day. It was great to see! Folks were very kind to compliment Cody. I was told many times that he’s a great looking pup. Someone else asked me what I was feeding because his coat looks so good. The local folks are great and everyone has advice and tips. We even brought home a few pheasants to work with. 

A rooster got away and landed near the truck. Bella saw it and she was single-minded wanting to go get it. During a break in the action, I took Cody (on a short lead) and Bella out to find the rooster. Cody and I stayed behind Bella to allow her room to work. I intended for Bella to flush it, but guess who found it! He was walking on a 6’ lead and I noticed that he had stopped. I turned to look, and he is 6” away from the rooster that had hunkered down in the grass. In a blink, it flushed. He was startled at first and took a hop backwards before leaping after it. It’s not how I wanted to introduce him to birds, but it seemed to work out OK.

The only picture we took of them was at nap time.


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## Aki (Feb 27, 2021)

He is the cutest! I cannot wait to get a puppy for myself one fine day 😌


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

Aki said:


> He is the cutest! I cannot wait to get a puppy for myself one fine day [emoji18]


Hi Aki, welcome to the site! Thank you for the comment. We think he’s pretty cute, too [emoji3526]


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

We are back from our mid-day walk. It is sunny and warmer than it has been for weeks. 62 degrees, woohoo! The dogs decided to cool off in the snow before going inside.


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## Lovin'Goldens (Feb 17, 2021)

Looks like they had fun! I am so glad spring is finally coming!


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

The little man is doing well. Only a couple of updates this week. The last of his incisors are coming out and we found a molar on the floor today. I also decided on a training collar, so we are starting to have him wear the collar while we go on walks. It’ll be a while before we do CC, but I thought it would be important for him to get used to wearing the collar when we do fun stuff.

Here they are lounging on the patio (under construction) one morning earlier this week.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

That's a great picture of him and Bella.
Cody's coat is coming in really nice.


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## Rundlemtn (Jan 16, 2015)

Love their compatible waves going down their back 💙


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

CAROLINA MOM said:


> That's a great picture of him and Bella.
> Cody's coat is coming in really nice.


Thank you! His back fur is so thick and wavy right now. He has a healthy sheen and a rich color. 



3Pebs3 said:


> Love their compatible waves going down their back [emoji170]


Thanks, me too! Bella's fur came in wavy at this age, too.


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

We’re having a warm spell, so it was time for a bath and blow dry today. The little man’s wavy mane is shiny and soft, and smells like cotton and fresh orchid. I like this Isle of Dogs puppy shampoo.


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

Today, we loaded up and headed to a club property for a little bonding and some training. 










Cody got to spend most of the day off leash playing in the tall grass. We have been working on retrieving desire since he came home to us. We just recently started yard work, so I wasn’t sure how well he would do out in the wide open. I’m very happy with his work today. We started with wings on a canvas bumper and worked up desire to where he retrieved a pheasant today. We were taking turns throwing for one dog and then the other. Cody was rearing to go on every throw!











At the end of the day we stopped by the pond to see how he would react. We got there and he went running straight into the water. It was shallow, so he wasn’t swimming yet. He had fun doing retrieves and just splashing around.









Of course this meant he got a second bath in as many days! He’s now zonked out at home.


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

Yesterday’s training was really good for Cody. All of the weeks doing a couple tosses of fetch per day inside the house has finally paid off. Something clicked ‘on’ yesterday and suddenly he LOVES to fetch. I had read about this progression, but never experienced it. I’ll be honest; I wasn’t sure it was going to click for him because it took until now. But, what do I know?!

We took a trip to the neighborhood park today, just the boy and me. He is absolutely crazy over the pheasant wing bumper. I’m throwing about 20 yards and he runs out and runs back. He’s developing a confident grip on the bumper. No more carrying by a corner or a string. The boy loves feathers in his mouth!

Anyway, here is today’s aftermath of 5 fetches.


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

The storm of the century took a left turn at Albuquerque. We still have about 10” on the ground and more when the wind between the houses makes it drift. Cody is beside himself. He loves snow!



http://imgur.com/a/d1WK6w6


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Oh that's a lot of snow, I heard on the Weather Channel your area was getting hammered. 

Perfect for Cody, I have a feeling he's going to be in and out a lot today. 

It's sunny and 66 here on the NC Coast, flowers and trees are blooming.


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

CAROLINA MOM said:


> Oh that's a lot of snow, I heard on the Weather Channel your area was getting hammered.
> 
> Perfect for Cody, I have a feeling he's going to be in and out a lot today.
> 
> It's sunny and 66 here on the NC Coast, flowers and trees are blooming.


That sounds very nice! I always have loved the Outer Banks. We used to vacation there when I lived further east. I also worked in RTP for a summer and I would drive to Wilmington on the weekends.


Most of the snow went north to Cheyenne. What we did get is very heavy and packed down. Cody is exhausted from playing in it.


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

http://imgur.com/a/X0i5gax


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

That sure is a lot of snow, fun seeing Cody having a blast. 
Not surprised he crashed.


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

Cody turned 6 months old yesterday. That kind of snuck up on me. He’s 43 pounds with great body tone and a really thick, shiny coat.










Here’s a peek into daily life with Cody. He is trying his hardest to get Bella to come play with him. Her look at the end is like, please save me! (With sound)



http://imgur.com/a/Ps15n8f


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

Those of you with pickup trucks will understand. Have you ever found the perfect parking spot, out far with nobody next to you, and some fool just has to park right next to you?

I think that’s how Bella felt here... LOL

Cody LOVES her so much!


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Poor Bella, the look on her face.


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

CAROLINA MOM said:


> Poor Bella, the look on her face.


I know! She is such a sweet soul. He really is too, but his occasional fits of puppy rowdiness make her a little resistant to accept his affection.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

granite7 said:


> I know! She is such a sweet soul. He really is too, but his occasional fits of puppy rowdiness make her a little resistant to accept his affection.


It could have been worse, Cody could have laid right on top of her. 

Can definitely tell how much he loves Bella.


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

We had lots of warm sunshine today, and Cody needs a bath anyway, so I decided to see if Cody might want to swim. 

The ditches are starting to flow and the irrigation pond at the club property is filling up. Cody ran and played in the pond a few weeks ago when the water was only 6” deep. He hasn’t seen deeper water yet.

We ran into this flock of turkeys on the way through the gate.









We walked the shoreline a little bit to see if he wanted to get his feet wet. He did. 

Then I threw a couple bumpers along the shoreline. Cody thought that was good fun.

The next thing I know he comes running up behind me and charges into the water and transitions to swimming like he was born in the water.









So, we tried a couple bumpers out from shore. He was pretty enthusiastic and seems to have a good water entry from the start. 

















He had no trouble grabbing the 2” bumpers and bringing them back.
























He’s got a pretty stylish retrieve, if you ask me!

Lesson learned on handling: don’t throw angles yet, because he’ll cheat.

All in all, this was way above my expectations for his first day swimming!

Edited to add:
I just checked his collar data and you can see his lines. I will definitely have to pay attention to throws so he doesn’t cheat.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Great job Cody, what a fun day.


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## rosegold (Nov 9, 2016)

Very nice job Cody! How neat that you had the tracker on his collar to see his path into the water too.


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## granite7 (Oct 5, 2020)

Thank you, both! I always enjoy reading replies here. 

I have been putting his collar on him when we have fun time so that he associates it with fun stuff. We’re not ready to do collar conditioning yet, but this is a little groundwork to be ready for that when the time comes.

I bought a Garmin Pro 550 Plus with the TT 15 Mini collar. It was just a cool bonus that Garmin has a free phone app that traces our steps on a map. The handheld isn’t getting great reception, so my blue line bounces all over. I think that is due to me just having the handheld clipped to a belt loop. Maybe my COVID belly blocks the signal! LOL

The black line is the first dog on the remote, and the collar tracks pretty accurately. You can see his triangles as he heads out to water marks at an angle but comes in on the closest route back to shore. The routes in land are fairly straight, except for the one I threw down the embankment of the dam. I have to do some reading to make sure I know how to prevent that cheating water from becoming a habit. For now, I’ll just keep throwing the marks straight out from shore.


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