Lazy Days with Felix

Week 10! The last and final week with one lucky trainer’s buddy Felix. The entire session with him was a heart-warming experience… just as expected. This final week, Felix and his primary and secondary trainers spent lots of time together just walking around and relaxing in the TV area early in the mornings and late in the evenings. He did such a good job with his commands for final testing during observation this past week, and based on how he interacts with the rest of his Second Chance family, it’s safe to say that Felix the greyhound knows exactly what love is and how to give lots of it!

Friendly Face Felix

Swap week! This week one lucky trainer got to spend some time with Felix, a beautiful fawn and red-colored guy who is laid-back and a real smarty pants. Not to mention he's fun, too! Swap week, of course, is designed to get the dogs ready for the biggest change in their lives - moving to their forever homes. They prepare them by giving them a new trainer for a week with a new kennel in a new spot. If change is something scary or upsetting for them, the trainers can help them see that everything will be okay and that no matter who takes care of them, they will be loved and cared for. For Felix, however, there were no such issues that needed to be rectified. He takes everything in stride and loves to try new things.

His swap week training team loved having Felix this week. He knows all of his commands, is a friendly boy, and it's just so much fun to be around. Whoever gets him will have found a true friend!

Popcorn and TV Time

Hi there Hoomans!  Felix here to update how things are going at my current paw pad.  This week I’ve spent a lot of time with my secondary inmate trainer.  I got a lot of yummy treats and taught him a few things.   

He watched a little TV and I ate popcorn and napped.  Good times I’m telling you!  Oh my goodness I have to tell you what happened… my toys had treats inside them this week!  It was the most amazing thing ever!  My two favorite things came together and made a good day super!

So my inmate treat dispensing team, errr, training team is pretty cool.  I get to teach them new things and they give me treats.   If I make eye contact with them I get a lot of attention and treats.  I’ve been hearing that this is just a temporary paw pad and I’ll be going to a forever home soon.  I’m not sure what all of that means but it sounds interesting.  Talk to ya next week!

Nuzzling is Imminent

This week Felix has mastered down, which impressed his trainer a lot and shows just how quickly he learned it, since he only started practicing it two weeks ago. There are still a few commands that he needs to be a little more consistent with in order to master them, but his trainer is sure that he'll do that without a problem.

He's definitely come to enjoy playing with toys, getting as excited as a puppy running in circles after a ball when they first start play time! He is quick to chase a squeaky toys and chew on them, but he gives them up well.

He continues to show affection with people, being quick to lean against them, and allowing hugs around his head or body. All of this leaves his trainer confident that he will quickly nuzzle his way into the hearts of his forever family and make a special place there.

Time To Make The Coffee

Felix is one sweet boy! He loves the company of humans and all the attention he can get. Training is going good. He knows Let’s go, release, wait, here, sit, stay, bed, and jump well. Hurry, kennel, heel and down need improving. Felix wants to please his humans, so there’s no doubt he will have them mastered long before graduation day.

Felix and his secondary trainer have a morning coffee making ritual. Felix loves the smell of coffee and for some reason he is totally captivated by the sound of the spoon stirring in the cup. LOL Any coffee drinkers out there that want a furry forever friend to share it with? Felix is your man.

Squeaky Toys for Days

Hi everyone! It's your favorite Greyhound, Felix! I've had a really good time so far learning my commands. While I’ve still got about half of them left to master, my trainers keep telling me how close I am on most of them. I'm trying to tell them that the more treats I get, the quicker I'll learn! Although they could use toys too, especially the really squeaky ones!

They've been letting me play with toys more often too, and I get more excited about that each time. They asked me to give them up a lot, but I don't understand why, cuz then they throw them right back to me! But I almost always let go right away. It's just once in a great while that it's so hard to let go of that really squeaky one.

As much as I like it here, my trainer said I'll be in a better place soon called a home, with only a few people called my forever family. I like to meet new people, so I can't wait to meet them.

Until then, your lucky dog, Felix.

Furever Friend

A few more commands can be checked as mastered for Felix. He’s doing so well with this training and “showed out” at show and tell! Felix is playing with toys more and gets excited when his trainers get them out for play time. He will willingly “give” up the toy when asked. He loves the squeaky toys. The more they squeak the better he likes them.

Felix continues to do well with all 4 of his trainers on his team and is friendly to anyone that wants to show him some attention. Felix doesn’t seek out affection, but if you’re willing to give it, he’s all in. All of his trainers are enjoying their time with their furry friend Felix. I know you can’t wait to meet him!

One Lucky Boy

Another productive week with Felix. He has already mastered a few of his commands and is making great strides with the others. Jump/off and stairs are no problem for this guy. Felix did them with little or no hesitation on the FIRST try. You go Felix!!

He had 2 other firsts this week. He got to run off leash on the big yard and also got to play with toys. He was excited to finally take off and run and he enjoyed playing with toys. The squeaky the better.

Felix continues to be affectionate towards everyone in the dorm, not just the trainers on his team. He’s quick to put his head in anyone’s lap or lean against them after just a few pets. This leaves his trainer confident that “Felix” will live up to the meaning of his name: “Lucky, Happy and Successful”. His trainer is sure he will be successful learning all his commands and he and his forever family will both feel very lucky to have each other.

Ahead of the Curve

With his first full week of training, Felix has made steady progress learning his commands. He is definitely very treat-motivated and also by affection, too! One morning this week, he had his biggest stride of progress by lying down on the bed the first time he was instructed to do so. After he finished eating his peanut butter Kong as a reward, he rolled onto his back seeking a belly rub. After he got that, he stayed there restring his head on his trainer’s feet for another ten or so minutes. What a sweetie!

He has also done well interacting more often with the other two trainers on his team. He has improved with his leash-walking with his secondary trainer, and he responds well to his name and to “here” from all three of his trainers. Of course, he seeks affection from all three, too!

His trainer expects that once Felix settles in with his forever family, he will quickly snuggle up with anyone who will let him!

Friendly Mr. Felix

So far Felix has spent one week with his new training team, and their initial impressions are very good! He was a little unsure on his first day and hesitant to eat from his trainer’s hand, but two days later he was putting his head in the laps or on the shoulders of all three of his trainers! He did the same with two other inmate trainers a few days later!

He has been doing well so far learning to walk on a leash, not pulling and staying by his side, although he is still working on stopping when his trainer stops. He’s done well with learning other commands and is a quick learner who is eager to please. He is also very treat-motivated, which makes his trainer confident that he will have no problem learning all of his commands by the end of the ten-week session.

Felix is a thick, solid guy with a beautiful red fawn coat, a grey/black “Homer Simpson” muzzle and golden-brown eyes. But his best trait? His outgoing, affectionate personality, by a mile! His trainer is very confident that Felix will settle in with his new forever family lickety-split, earning a special place in their hearts as their Friendly Felix!