Still 2 boys and a girl, but different boys!!!

Penny (the owner of the stud) had
picked out little Dungey as her pup but decided her good friend Nancy needed a pup more than she did. So Nancy came over to play with the pups and while she really liked Dungey, she fell in love with Poto. So now Poto has a new home picked out and Dungey is available. Nancy has decided that Poto is built like a big Sherman tank and now his name is going to be Sherman.

These are recent pics of Dungey. He is getting fluffy and curly and he is lightening up a little. So depending on the light, he looks more strawberry blonde. Still apricot around his face and ears, but the rest of his body is a pretty lighter blonde with hints of strawberry. He is also growing more confident. Sutter has been spending some one on one time with him and he has really come around, he definitely holds his own in the pack without any worries. He has gained confidence and is more sure of himself. He is undoubtably one of the more affectionate pups. Always the first one to give you a kiss! This little guy is without a doubt, one of those cases (as with most pups) where if you put in a little time and effort, it will be returned to you, tenfold!!!! And of course, his little face has always been the cutest of the litter!

This is Daffy. The one little girl still available. It is a little hard to see, but she is lightening up in color also. She even has a little white patch on her chest. If I am grabbing puppies, the minute I get my hands around Daffy, without even looking, I know who I have. Her tummy gives her away. She is such a chunker. She looks small, but there is some weight to her!!! And in a crowd of pups, she is usually the one with her tail up and wagging. And while she is happy to play with her littermates, once she spots a person (especially with shoelaces) she would rather follow and play with that person. A sweet, happy little girl.

This is Reed. My little gentleman. He is so sweet, with the softest brown eyes and curly ears. He also has a little white patch on his chest and while his coat looks straight, it has that fuzzy sheep type feeling to it. So I think it is a pretty safe bet that he will be a no-shedder. Sutter has also been spending some one on one time with him (so far I really notice her playing with the 3 boys the most) and he is getting more confident and sure of himself. Joining in and playing more and bouncing around the yard. While Dungey used to seem anxious to me, Reed used to seem shy. It is amazing what a couple of weeks and time with littermates and mom can do for these guys. Both of them are so well adjusted now. Not a bit of shyness or anxiousness left in either of them. I think they used to let Irish be the alpha female and they were intimidated by her - but that is no longer the case. Irish has calmed down and the boys are taking over!!!

I am also happy to let you know that they are practically potty training themselves. I let them out in the morning and they rush outside to do their business. There are still accidents at night, but nothing like they were even a week ago. And when they are napping inside in the morning or afternoon, they let me know when they want outside to play and they rush outside and they start squatting left and right. About half of them have even figured out that Sutter uses one spot in the yard as her bathroom (off to the side in the rocks) and they are starting to go there also. Much nicer for me than all over the lawn!!!! And I can't take credit for that, they figured that out all on their own. But now in the evenings, I usually pick out a pup or two that is awake and let them spend some time playing in the family room with us and Sutter and instead of just taking them out to go potty (anywhere but inside!) before playtime, I am taking them to the designated doggie bathroom in our yard and they are doing awesome!!!
I am amazed at how far this litter has come so quickly. They must be doggie geniuses!

Happy Saturday!

The puppies are at their absolute cutest right now. I will take more pics today and post them. It is hard to get good pics because they don't spend a lot of time standing still for me! We have lots of visitors coming by today and tomorrow so feel free to stop by this weekend. We are all puppies, all the time! And to all of our new families, please remember, it is an open door policy. You can come visit your new pup anytime! If you picked out your pup a couple of weeks ago, you might not recognize him/her now. They are in full action mode. Running and jumping and playing. I am giving them several hours in the morning and afternoon loose in the backyard with Sutter. She needs to spend this time with them to teach them some manners. They have recently found their voices and are starting to bark and growl at everything. She (and I) are teaching them when barking and growling is appropriate. It is pretty funny when you pick up a pup and they growl at you while at the same time they are licking your face. They obviously don't know that they aren't supposed to make growly noises at their humans. And they are learning that barking at inanimate objects (toys, plants) doesn't produce any results. This age is so important for them. Interaction with each other, their mom and people is going to shape them for the rest of their lives, so come on by and visit.

Two boys and a girl!

Here are the cute boys that are still available. Reed is on the left and Poto on the right. They are both sweet boys. Poto is a little larger, bigger boned with a chunkier head. He is built more like a golden retriever. And Reed is a little smaller, lighter boned and narrower face. He is built a little more poodle like. The same goes with the coat, Reed is an ashy blonde (hard to tell in these pics) and a little more wooley coated (poodle coated) and Poto is a golden blonde with a straighter coat (golden ret coated).
Reed is a little quieter and sometimes shy, Poto is a big goof ball who likes to nap. Reed likes to
observe what is going on around him, and joins in
the fun when he can't resist anymore and Poto is
either in the middle of the fun, in the middle of a
nap or the middle of the food bowl. They are both
awesome little boys for the right home.

Here is Daffodil. She is really tearing my heart out and making me wish I could keep 2 pups. She is so people oriented and her tail is constantly in motion. When the pups are all in a group playing, she is always the first one to wander over and find a person to play with instead of a pup. And the minute she gets any attention directed at her, that tail starts going. She is a lover and will make the most devoted pet for a very lucky person or family. She is the chunkiest girl, bigger boned and a chunky head. I think she and Poto look a lot alike. They are even the same pretty color of gold and have a very soft, straighter coat.

It is funny in a litter of F2s there is usually a lot of

variety in the pups. And this litter does have it's variety, but some of the pups really favor each other, in looks and personality. Daffy and Poto are very similar, just a female and male version of each other. Reed and Lila/Ruby are very similar in personality and bone structure. Reed does have a more wooly coat and ashy color than Ruby, but their temperment is so similar it is crazy. Mari and CC are a lot alike in just about every way. As they get older, it is getting harder for even me to tell them apart unless they are side by side. Then I can see the differences. That leaves Irish and Dungey. I think they are the two Alphas of this litter. Irish of course the female version and Dungey the male. They look
nothing alike, in fact almost opposites. And complete individuals. Irish is always checking out what is going on around her, very sure of herself and the first one to answer me with a little yip when I am talking to them. Dungey seems to be trying to decide if he is the Alpha or not. I think he wants to be, but needs a little more confidence. The other two boys (Reed and Poto) aren't going to challenge him at all, they soooo don't care. So that leaves Dungey as the Alpha male by default! Fortunately Dungey is going home to live with his dad, Sam, and their owner Penny, when he is 8 weeks old. Sam is going to be a great dad and companion for Dungey and having him to look up to and learn from will give Dungey all the confidence and self esteem that he needs to be a very happy well adjusted pup!!! Sometimes these things just work out perfectly!

Quick update

For those that are looking or keeping track, Irish, Mari, Lila, and CC are spoken for. The pups that are still available are Daffy, and the 3 boys, Dungey, Reed and Poto. Hope everybody is having a great holiday weekend.

What a beautiful day to head outside!

All the pups getting ready for a nap after tromping around on the grass. That is Irish in the back, standing guard over her pack.




Mari crashing on her brother.




Irish, looking like an angel.

Reed, what a sweet boy!

Dungey, tucking in between sisters.

Puppies and kids, what a great Saturday.

My boys love these pups! They have been waiting for this day for months! They couldn't wait to lay down and have the pups crawl all over them. The pups did not disappoint.

Loving that Food!

Eating must be really hard work. Daffy was too tired to even get out of the bowl!

FOOD!!!

I know they aren't 3 weeks old yet, but they just seemed like they were still hungry after Sutter was done nursing them. There was a lot of whining last night and today before settling down for a nap after eating. So I blended up some puppy food with some puppy formula and let them go for it. They had a great time. I really didn't expect them to get the hang of it, usually the first day or two of food is more about playing in it than actually eating it. But they must have been hungry because they "got it" right away. I can't believe how much they actually ate. So I have another batch of food ready and will warm it up and give it to them before bed tonight and we will see how they sleep. That is Mari with her whole body in the bowl!