Puppy Bjorn

We are supposed to expose them to new noises, people, places, and situations BUT we can't put them on the ground because their shots aren't complete. And they are getting a little to heavy and squirmy to hold! So I put her in a backpack and wore it in front when we were at the races last weekend and she loved it. She even fell asleep! I might need a bigger backpack soon.

Puppy Pictures!

Kona!
Sally!

Dana and Kylie!

Dana again! She still looks like a stuffed animal to me!

Rubicon at 9 weeks

Everything is going great with little Rubicon. She loves her bed and always takes her naps on it. It has been a lot easier than I expected having her join our family. I was worried Sutter would be jealous or feel neglected since she has had us all to herself for 3 years now. But Sutter loves her the most. Sutter actually stares at her and waits for her to wake up when she is napping so they can play. We have been very careful to do the things that have been suggested in books to make sure there aren't any dominance struggles, we always greet Sutter first, let her out the door first, feed her first, etc. Ruby doesn't seem to mind at all and Sutter doesn't feel threatened. Before, when we would sneak pups upstairs to our room to snuggle (before they went to their new homes) Sutter didn't really want them on our bed, or her dog bed. Those were "her" areas. Now when Ruby is on our bed, Sutter jumps up and joins her and they end up wrestling and playing and both getting kicked off. And Ruby is always welcome on Sutter's dog bed (of course that usually turns into a wrestling match as well, but allowed on the floor)

Here they are in action. Sutter acts like more of a puppy now than Ruby does. I think she has regressed to about 6 months old. She is hopping around and always smiling and just can't wait to play with her new best friend.

Playtime. Maybe that is why Rubicon is so easy, she is always tired from playing with mom!

I think she needs a trim, can't even see her eyes anymore!

I have a feeling I won't be trimming Ruby's hair nearly as much as I trim Sutters!

Hey, she actually looks at me now! And she has been sleeping in her crate, with the door closed in our room for the last couple of nights without waking up at all through the night. I think she will get moved into one of the boys rooms tonight. I can't believe I actually have a crate trained puppy! It is a miracle. Now if we could just get the potty training down.......

I think she is trying to tell me that it wasn't her who chewed up the edges of the deck, it was all those other pups that left already. Right!

She really is a sweet little girl. When people come over to visit, it is Sutter that I have to contain and is jumping around like an idiot greeting them. Rubicon quietly sits there, watching her mom act like a freak and waits for them to greet her. And I said I wasn't going to use treats for training....well that didn't last. I am using treats in a little plastic container with a lid. You get them used to the sound the cup makes when you shake it and they learn to respond to the command and the noise of the treats in the cup and it is working great. She is learning her name and to come when she is called. And we are teaching her the names of everybody in the family - Sutter is usually around and getting her nose in on the training times, so maybe the old dog will pick up some new tricks too and start acting like the 4 year old lady she should be! The only place we are not having a break through is on the leash training. She does not like being lead around by the leash. So we will keep working on it.

Dungey/Marlin

And yes, Dungey did find a new home. His new name is Marlin (you know, like in Nemo?). He went home with a wonderfully busy family with 2 boys and 1 little girl from Roseville. I think he will fit right in with them and always have somebody to play with. Just perfect for him, and those kids too!

Exciting times!

Almost everybody has gone to their new, wonderful homes. I am a little sad, but it really does help that I love every single family that these pups went to. I know they are all going to have wonderful lives and I am so grateful. So now it is your turn to start taking pictures and sending them to me. I will post them so everybody can see how their pup's littermates are doing, and growing and what they look like. I will post pictures and updates on Rubicon and Sutter too. Hopefully we will see Sherman at puppy classes in January, we are going to try to get them in the same class and I will let you know how that goes for us. Should be interesting. I am having my boys do the obedience training on Ruby, after all, she is THEIR dog. Or so they keep telling me. I wonder how long that will last?

Puppy pick-ups this week

I know many of you are coming this week to pick up your pups. I think they are fine to go home anytime this week, but most of you have planned to pick them up between Wednesday and Saturday. I am going to be busy most of the day on Tuesday (at a field trip with Josh's 3rd grade class) and then I have to do my "real" job and set up a wedding Saturday morning. I should be done around 11am, but call me and I will confirm the timing. The rest of the week I am pretty flexible and should be available whenever you are. But give me a heads up, especially those of you that have a long drive so I don't let your pup have a big meal before you put them in your car. It is really quite common for them to get car sick at this age and most of the time they outgrow it before they are a year old. But it helps to take them on an empty stomach as much as possible. And don't leave without getting your copy of the information from the vet, your CD of puppy pictures and the signed puppy contract. If I get distracted or emotional saying goodbye to these little guys, I might forget!

More Pictures!

They aren't liking the corral as much, they want to be free!!! All the time. The minute they see me, they beg to be let out. So I am spending a lot more time in the backyard with them. Good thing we have been having such nice weather.

Sutter is loving this part of motherhood. She is acting like a pup herself. She is constantly letting me know it is time for them to wake up and play (even if they are still asleep, SHE thinks it is time for them to wake up)

Dungey and mom.

Dungey taking a break.

Don't those two coats look alike? And who else is bold enough to go up and grab mom's tail? Only Irish.

Here is the little stuffed animal posing for pictures.

And here she is playing queen of the stump in the backyard.

Here is Kona, playing upon the retaining wall in the rocks. She wasn't brave enough to venture up there a couple of days ago, now......anything is possible!

I was trying to get a picture of the curls on her ears, can't really see them here, but I promise, they are cute!

Sherman and Kona, who would have thought a wood pile would entertain them for so long?

Here is CC and her little bottle brush whiskers.

Here is Chase playing with Garfield.

And here he is doing his staring thing. "If I just nicely stare at the door instead of jumping on it like everybody else, maybe it will open"

And check this out, this is Ruby and she looks like poor our old yellow lab, Shasta, back when she was in her prime and pointing out a pheasant in the field. See I told you I ended up with a lab, not a goldendoodle!

But she is little and lean and can curl up really small to sleep, just like Sutter. That will be good for traveling in the motorhome!
But she is cute, in her own way! Even is she if eating the bushes.