Thursday, December 31, 2009

Temperament Testing is complete and assignments made!

WHEW! It was a day of surprises for sure! Thankfully, everyone is happy with their new family additions.

I thought you would enjoy shots of the pups going through some of the criteria used for assessment. It actually went very well as the pups are a great group.

Some of you have names picked out and others are still thinking. Once pups are assigned, I need to receive name choices as soon as possible as I have a ton of paperwork to do as well as inform my vet of their names for the up-coming spays and neuters. So........... :+)

This is Lavender Girl participating in the 'Retrieve Segment'. I think she may like to play ball.


Blue Boy enjoying the 'Sight Sensitivity' portion.


Red Girl is a great 'Follower'.


'Stability Recovery Time' is not a problem at all for Black Boy. He is inquisitive.


The 'Elevation Test' shows acceptance in a position of no control. Orange is very compliant albeit wondering where the floor is!


Ahhhh....Do you think Green Boy has any problem with being 'Social'???


Turquoise Boy has no issues whatsoever with 'Restraint'. Can you say 'relax'?

Monday, December 28, 2009

We had our Eye CERF's today.

We braved the weather and managed to dodge most of the mess. :+)

You all are very, very lucky in that these pups ride like a dream in a car. They have been on four car rides so far of at least a 1/2 hour and these pups are so quiet - not a peep! A very rare thing to happen. I had Blue and Green with a little bit of muzzle wetness from a bit of anxiety for their 8 week shots last week, but that did not even happen today. Really terrific riders!

There was no eye disease found in any of the pups which is a Godsend, but the two that I was most interested in keeping in my program had slight imperfections that will keep them from getting official CERF certificates. I feel very strongly that my potential breeders must have this certificate. That is going to make several people happy because both Green Boy and Lavender Girl are now pet quality only. Makes me want to cry that I cannot include them in my program. That also means that I am now picking two new choices and won't make these selections until after the second temperament test on Wednesday.

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Three Muskateers!

They were just so cute laying there together on the step.



Turquoise Boy, Blue Boy and Orange Girl.

Monday, December 21, 2009

We will be 8 weeks tomorrow! We are getting to the countdown!

These rugged babies LOVE to be outdoors no matter what the temperature is. For the most part, after I feed them I leave their X-pen gate open as well as the doggie door. It is amazing to watch them finish up their meal and then go outside to potty and play. They come in and out all day long. If I leave (for shopping and such), I keep them gated in the X-pen so that they will get in a solid nap. If I don't do this, they all crawl up onto the wooden step and sleep on it. Very cute to see. :+)

Because tomorrow will be spent taking my husband to Boston for another surgeon check on his hand, I took all these pics outside today (at dusk) except for Black Boy who was way too busy to stay still long enough! Some of the colors are a bit off due to shadows, etc. I also cropped them quite a bit so the clarity is not as sharp when you enlarge them.

They are more adorable every week. :+)

PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THESE PUPS ARE EVOLVING EACH WEEK AND I, TOO,
AM MAKING CHANGES ON WHO I MAY BE KEEPING! I HAVE MADE PRELIM CHOICES BUT STILL RESERVE THE RIGHT TO CHANGE MY MIND ONCE VET VISITS AND TEMPERAMENT TESTS ARE FINISHED. I DO APOLOGIZE FOR THIS, BUT CHOOSING BREEDING DOGS IS DEPENDENT ON MANY FACTORS, NOT JUST 'LOOKS'.



Red at 9 lbs.


Black at 7 lbs. - sorry he was 'flashed' out as this was taken indoors!!!


Blue at 10 lbs.


Turquoise at 8 lbs.


Green 8 1/4 lbs.


Orange at 6 lbs.


Lavender at 7 1/2 lbs.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Celebrating the Christmas season at 7 weeks!

Boy, is it sort of busy around here! Today was a good day as the pups had visitors, Olive had a good vet appointment, I made some yummy hodge podge and got the 7 weeks pics up on time!

The pups have been going out at least three times a day even in the cold, cold weather. They have been taking their outside time for pottying as well! No, they don't know to potty on command outside, but at least they are comfortable doing it outdoors! It is a step in the right direction, for sure. :+)

Please note that the weights MIGHT be a bit off as I weighed them after they ate a hefty dinner...burp!!!

The adorable Miss Orange weighs 5 3/4 lbs. (smallest pup in the litter)


This handsome guy is Black Boy and he weighs 6 3/4 lbs. (the smallest boy)


Red Girl is the largest girl at a solid 8.0 lbs.


Green Boy had enough of the Santa hat! He weighs 7 3/4 lbs.


Lavender Girl is a demure 6 3/4 lbs.


I should have put antlers on Blue Boy as he is a moose, not an elf! He weighs a hefty 9 1/4 lbs.!


Turquoise Boy was sleeping on his BIG feet! He has had enough of this photography stuff! He weighs 7 1/2 lbs.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Our first snow!

Ahhhhhh....guys, where are you?


There you are!


Let's play a game!


How about tag?


Okay, who is going to be it?


I don't know, any volunteers?


Where's Black Boy?


Here he is! Guess he is it!!!

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Six weeks and Christmas is upon us!

Hello!

I told Kate that I would have my Christmas tree decorated and I did finish it last night. Perhaps the next time her family visits, she can critique it for me. :+)

The pups were soooooo good today for our 6 week photoshoot - maybe they knew Santa was watching and forgot about the 'naughty' and remembered only the 'nice'. For whatever the reasons, I am grateful!

Green Boy - 6 1/2 lbs. and solid like his dad. Will be over 30 lbs. at maturity.


Orange - 4 3/4 lbs. (Definitely going to be a mini doodle topping off at about 25 lbs., I bet!).



Turquoise - 6 1/4 lbs. Another over 30 lbs. at maturity.


Black - 5 1/2 lbs. (More than likely going to be the smallest of the boys and the size of his dad.)


Lavendar - 5 3/4 lbs. (Breeder's choice for female).


Red - 6 1/2 lbs. She will be the largest of the girls and look like mommy.


Blue - 7 1/4 lbs. Going to be the biggest boy and over 30 lbs.

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Our new playgym!

At around this age (5 to 7 weeks) I bring out this very entertaining playgym for the pups to enjoy. I find if I bring it out too early, they tend to potty on it, so I wait until their potty training is pretty solid inside the pen. It has toys suspended by soft 'arms' that they can pull on and chew. The floor has 'crinkly flower petals' and little leg 'fingers' for them to pull and tug on and I think the pics tell you the rest of the story. :+)





























Hey! Let us out, our company is coming!

The saga of 3 pups and a cardboard box.

I placed a cardboard box in their pen today because I know this very inexpensive item is such a curiosity stimulator and pups LOVE to chew them! Although most of the litter was napping, I had three - Orange & Red Girls as well as Blue Boy who were not ready for a snooze.

Orange Girl is a little thing but has a huge personality. She is confident and eager to check out all things. She is checking out this box thoroughly.


Red Girl is content to see if cardboard is one of the 'food groups' as Blue and Orange continue to look at every angle of the box.


As Blue peer inside, Orange peers through the fencing.


Then Red Girl switches with Orange as the 'Outpost' and Blue and Orange go back to the box.


I do believe Blue is wondering what more can those two girls find to investigate!