Still A Puppy

I was thinking that I had no puppy pictures for my blog today, when I remembered this one of Fern.  I keep forgetting that she's actually just a puppy herself, only seven months old.  She's got most of her size now, and is quite adult looking too, with a hard body and plenty of muscle.  She's still lanky, but certainly would look good in the ring if I wanted to start showing her.  Fern's manners around the house are very good, other than her habit of sometimes flying through the air for a cookie rather than sitting.  She doesn't counter surf, and is very good in her crate unless one of her favorite people is visiting.  Argus and Josie both play with her, and she loves the dog toys, so she generally stays out of mischief.  Fern was extremely easy to housetrain and is very trustworthy, but I have to keep reminding Ron not to give her too much "freedom" yet as she IS just a puppy.  She's doing well in her obedience class, catches on quickly to everything except walking nicely on a leash.  Pulls like a draft horse.  Actually, she knows the command Walk, just needs constant reminders.  A good puppy though.  I've put a lot of time in to Fern, and enjoy her company.  Argus has been suggesting that Fern will be coming in season soon.  He sneaks a sniff from time to time and gets that dreamy look in his eyes!

Pups are doing great, but eating me out of house and home.  It's expensive to feed raw to puppies, but it's worth it in terms of clean up.  Raw fed dogs have small dry stools that break down into powder when stepped on.  Very little odor or bulk to them because the dog is digesting almost everything it eats - no fillers in a raw diet, it's the undigested grain that gives regular stools their bulk.  They do get a kibble meal occasionally, so will be able to eat either raw or kibble or a combination of both.

Tomorrow I pack them up in the car yet again, and drive down to Rochester for BAER testing.  The pups are becoming seasoned travelers which will make it easier on them when they have to be shipped to their new homes.  I'll bring along their pen so they can all be in the examining room while they get tested one at a time.  I know their hearing status already, just need to get it verified.