More Kids Come To Visit

Another busy evening for the puppies, but we wore them down again.  Heather brought Cassia & Jozie over to play with the pups.  What fun!  Kids this age are so good about handing pups.  More kids scheduled for next week - we're doing our best to insure that these pups are optimally socialized to people of all ages.  Next week we'll pack them up and drive them out to visit my mother.  A car ride plus a chance to meet more seniors.

If the weather was more accommodating, the pups would already have gone for a car ride, but their first trip will be to Rochester on Saturday when they get BAER tested.  I'll pack up an ex-pen and a tarp so the pups can wait their turn for testing, with Ron keeping an eye on things.  Hopefully they won't yell too much in the car - these first trips can be noisy, and a couple of the pups are quick to vocally express their displeasure with things.  On Tuesday they take another trip, this time to see Dr. Valenti for their "well puppy" check ups.

Sleeping In

The pups are sleeping in this morning, no fussing from the basement yet.  We must have tired them out last night with an hour in the yard, then additional time in the family room.  It was a lot easier when they all fell asleep after 20 minutes of playtime.  Pups were all very active and brave yesterday, no fussing or whining at all, and lots of running and exploring.  If I can get the yard mowed after work, I can set up the puppy fencing and confine them a bit - and protect the flowers they were "admiring" last night.

Heather and her daughters coming over tonite and the weather should be OK for being out in the yard, so we'll wear them out again!  We're doing well on socializing with kids, but really need to emphasize that next week, when the pups will be more aware of the differences in people.  Need to get my mother over here too, so they can have more "senior exposure" - no Ron & I don't count!  If I get to go along to the Wisconsin shows the following weekend, Laurie will be in charge of the pups, which will also be good for them.

On Saturday the pups go in for BAER testing, Pauli goes home, and an assortment of people come to visit.  On Sunday morning Jess & Laurie will come over for a "puppy party" and pictures.  We need to take the "official" six week pictures of the litter, so Angie & Becky (who own Louie) can see how the litter actually looks.  Although I work with the pups a lot and stack them myself, it's nice to be able to evaluate them in profile when stacked by someone else.  It gives me a chance to see how they fit together, and look at their overall proportions.  Lots of angle on this litter, and mostly very nice toplines, so they should take good pictures - IF they behave!  The following Tuesday they go in for their Vet check ups.  Dr. Valenti will give each pup a thorough physical, and they will get their first vaccination.

Watson goes back to the vet today for his second Chiropractic/Acupuncture treatment.  The first one really made a big difference, and he's looking so much better.  Also started him on Glyco Flex 3 and Vetri Disc which may be helping too.  Am very pleased with the results so far.

Night Off

We took last night off, no company.  Although we love having puppy visitors, I decided that last night would stay open, no visitors.

We took the pups outdoors for an hour after it cooled off, and they did really well, adventuring farther afield and playing with leaves, branches and toys.  Several of the pups have been whiny & a bit unsure outdoors, but last night they were much better.  Mancini had been the worse, but last night he was just fine, starting to explore, play with toys and wrestle with Fern & Dixie.  Mickey has always been confident outdoors, although he demands to be picked up occasionally - but does not really want to be held, just noticed.  Murray is a little sound sensitive, and was bothered by the neighbor's mower on Sunday, and flipped his ears around in response to some barking last night.   He's the most independent puppy, the least interested in being held. Luci was the whiniest one last night, although she had been fine before.  They all seem to go through their little "stages" where they are more or less confident, more or less cuddly, and fussier about being restrained.  Fern is definitely the bravest, yet the most mellow.  She follows me all over the yard and never acts nervous about new things.  Am so pleased with how she is developing!

I worked at stacking the pups last night, using a treat to distract them.  We didn't get good stacks for very long, but it gave me a chance to admire what a handsome litter this is.  Absolutely lovely structure, the right combination of their parents.  Am a bit bummed to have multiple blues and unis, but both are characteristics that go with Dalmatian spotting.  Sometimes you have more of them, sometimes you luck out and have fewer of them.

Because I did the litter for a bitch for me to keep, and because Fern appears to be exactly what I wanted, I am very pleased over all.  Just wish I had a couple more like her, as several of the great potential homes that have been waiting for show quality bitches will not get a puppy this time.  Although Dixie is lovely, and should be shown, I'm quite sure she has unilateral hearing (in one ear) and that does not really work for a foundation bitch (you're limited in your choice of potential stud dogs because you have to consider hearing) and unis normally don't go as performance dogs.  Although they make great companions, it may be a handicap in advanced performance work - although there are some excellent unis working in Agility right now.  What she needs is a home where they just want a show dog as well as a beautiful companion.  Perhaps I'll find something local, co-own her, and keep an option to show her, like we did with Penny's brother Ch. "Charlie Brown".

More Company

More company!  The pups have had a very busy few days with lots of company, and play time in the family room.  One of the nice things about having pups is all the friends and previous buyers who come to visit.  Skip & Gia, along with their sons Trevor & Bradley and neighbor Sandi, came over last night.  We hadn't seen them since they visited Reebok's pups last summer!

They purchased their first Dal from us about 20 years ago and are currently owned by a charming Josie son named Seiko.  I kept Seiko from the litter with plans to show him until we started worrying that he would get too tall (which he did).  He's a fabulous dog otherwise, and hooked them on Brownie Boys.  Bradley and my pup Fabulous Fern hit it off right away and she spent much of the evening cuddling with him.  It's not a particularly cuddly litter at this age - too much to do - but Fern decided Bradley's lap would be just fine.

Next week I'll probably see my old friend Linda who owns 10 year old Robbie, who is their 4th Paisley Dal, and again their first boy.  Having pups is a great time for catching up with friends.  Anyone else out there who wants a puppy fix?

Pups sure provide a lot of photo ops!  This one turned out cute.  Having the pups up in the family room for a couple of hours means we go through a lot of paper towels!  I'd prefer to do the puppy visits in the backyard, but it's just too hot.  Probably not for the pups, but definitely for the people.  Normally we take the pups out for awhile every evening, but last night was just too hot to even consider it.  Neither Ron nor I had any interest in sitting out in the heat and humidity, and the pups are too young to want to stay out by themselves.

Laurie comes to stay next week, and hopefully there will be some decent weather so she can have the pups outdoors if she is around in the afternoon.  Last year she was here during the state shutdown, so we had lots of adventures.  This year I will be working, but am glad that I still have a job!

Another Doggy Weekend

Another very doggy weekend.   Right now things are centered around the puppies, and getting them raised and properly socialized.  Sometimes seems like a full time job!  Adults all get "their time" though and love having the extra company.  Weaning is going well, and Pauli will go home next weekend, which will help a lot.  She's been good, and we've been biking every evening, something she really enjoys!

Friend Sue has been taking Josie to the Airport Dog Park on a regular basis, and on Saturday she got to run with Letty's brother Herbie.  This has been so good for Josie, whose life was pretty boring.   Josie is a wonderful dog, and it's hard to believe she's already 9 years old.  She's very athletic and playful and is having such a good time running and spashing and chasing her Frisbee.  Sue can't have a dog where she lives, so this way both she and Josie can enjoy the summer.  Thanks, Sue!

Watson visited the Vet last weekend and got both Chiropractic and Acupuncture.  He's doing VERY well and is acting much like the old Watson.  Was concerned that he was getting arthritic, but apparently that is not the case.  Watson's already 12, but I am not ready for him to be an old dog.  Can't imagine not having him around here.  He's always been such a good dog!

Argus and I did the Rice Creek Dog Park on Sunday morning where he got to splash around with Labs and a Boxer.  He's not really a swimmer, mostly just a splasher, but has such fun doing it.  He retrieved a plastic bottle a few times, but just can't understand the Labs' obsession with retrieving anything, and doing it endlessly.  Argus has such a good time and I love watching him and the other dogs, plus that Dog Park is a good one for hiking too.  We picked up mom afterwards and went out to breakfast, sitting at an outdoor table so Argus could be with us.  (And share bits of my omelet.)

The pups had lots of company and many adventures this weekend.   I continue to be very pleased with Fabulous Fern, who seems to have a sensible & secure personality.  She's the biggest puppy right now, but that's because she is also the resident chow hound.  Dixie is coming along nicely.  Am sure she's a uni, hearing in just one ear.  I don't want to place her as a pet strictly because of that, and hope she still ends up in a show home as she is way too pretty not to be shown.   We'll see how this works out.  Luci is lovely, very sound and pretty spotted, but that eye rim is moving just too slowly and she will be going to a pet home.  

The boys are all characters.  Handsome Mickey the patch is a handful, smart and determined.  He'll need a home that has plenty of time and energy to devote to his training.  He won't be easy, but he will be a great dog if properly raised.  Furry Murray is looking good, a more independent sort of dog than his littermates, more like his Grandma Aruba and Uncle Krash (who won the National this year).  His spots are clearing nicely now and he's very striking.  That's him above, playing in the "tunnel", a section of sewer pipe.  Mancini looks like a star, really an outstanding pup.  Hope to find a home that wants a really good looking boy to show.  He's got a blue eye (not a fault) but wonderful structure and movement.  Most of my show homes are for girls, unfortunately, so we shall see.

Pups get BAER tested on Saturday.  I already know their hearing status, but we test to confirm.  We'll do pictures next week too, and start deciding which pup will go where.  If you are interested in something to show, we may have a pup for you.

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