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Ears the Thing

I've become pretty adept at bracing ears using the tape--it's so much quicker! Doing ears is how we end our week-ends as even the tape is not lasting very long on these active guys. Now that our pups are kenneled with adults, we like to have them all play together in the big yards on the week-ends. That's the demise of any ear braces! But, recent games of chase spelled the end of our latest ear efforts! I wonder if anything can survive a hard game of tag??

Tucker=Trouble

Looking for Trouble

Getting Into Trouble


Causing Trouble

But Always Happy!

Sadie the Ham

Happy Girl

Pat and Rich sent an e-mail letting us know that Torie had settled in nicely, with pictures to prove it! Torie is now Fiona--one of my favorite names for a collie, but one that David never wanted to use. But now, he thinks it's the perfect name for this little girl! Fiona and Duncan became great friends after a small hiccup her first morning in her new home. From the picture, it looks like Duncan's new buddy has worn him out!

Waiting for Home

The smooth boys are waiting for their families to find them to take them home and still puzzling out the changes from the last week. Sadie, Tucker and Jewel are in the kennel with the big dogs and a new routine, their other brother and sister went home last week and it's the just the two of them in the puppy yard. They each have a food bowl now, but still prefer to share bowls together although they will start their meals individually. Their favorite game of annoying old girl Sophie has lost its luster now that there are not so many pups to join in on the fun. I'm off work today and the weather is beautiful so this would be a perfect day to let the boys play in the big yard with their siblings and the adults. Maybe there's even enough time for a romp through their pool!

Jewel Houdini

David and I were working in the vegetable garden last night when movement outside the fence caught my eye. It was Jewel, happily dancing across the field, exploring and enjoying new smells. She immediately came to me, ecstatic about her adventure and that we were together. We went back to the kennel, me thinking that a gate must not have been latched tight, she had pushed it open and Phoebe must be wandering about, too . But no, Phoebe was dozing on her cot, the gates were latched and the outside gate was locked. I put Jewel back in the her kennel and wondered out loud how she had managed to get out. Jewel looked at me, wiggled her little happy dance, then immediately zipped under the outer gate and popped up at my feet! I then swapped Jewel and Tucker's kennel assignments and he thought he'd try to explore, too. But, he wasn't sure how his sister got out and ended up almost getting his head stuck. Some fast modifications under the gate solved the problem and of course, it's temporary as these puppies grow as fast as the weeds in the garden!

What are We Thinking???

While you're reading this post, hum a version of Crazy (Patsy Cline, Gnarls Barkley or anyone who sings a song about people losing their common sense!)
When we bred the three girls this spring, we thought we would add one puppy from each litter to our kennel. I was so adamant that I would only keep one puppy from Lauren and that was going to be Tucker. Well, then of course Claire wasn't pregnant and Jewel was just what we wanted from that breeding, so it made sense to keep her. O.K., we had planned on adding three and had added two, so it's not like we're loading ourselves down with dogs. When we learned Phoebe was only having one puppy, we were disappointed and played the what if game--what if she had had more than one, wouldn't it be nice if she had a good tri? A week after losing the puppy, we started to really notice Dot. Of course, people have said she's striking, she's beautiful, she has a good head and is she available? We really wanted her in a show home but then started to get picky. Not a show home like we were ten years ago--if she finished good, but she was really a pet so it wouldn't matter. No, we wanted her in a home where she could make her mark, the type of home we'd give her--if we were keeping a third pup from the litter. So guess what's happened? Her name is now Sadie, Ellen has given us good suggestions for her registered name and she made her first trip to Hamburg Doner! Picture to follow later this week!

Goin' Home

A great week-end for two of the puppies! (bittersweet for us when this day comes). Rem and Puppy Girl/Torie went home!! Brian and Denise picked up Rem (now named John Paul) on Saturday and Pat and Rich chose Torie (who will get a new name later) on Sunday. It was a perfect fit for both pups and just like we always like to see, both pups seemed to know their new families had arrived and happily left without a backward glance or a farewell lick.
We especially enjoyed seeing Torie with Pat and Rich as they had bought a young adult, Duncan, from us this past January. We think she's a special girl and were happy they thought so, too. And, we got to see Duncan again! He also seemed to be satisfied with the new family member, bonding almost immediately.
We also got to see Dylan! Susan brought him over to play with his buddies while she and I tested some dog treat recipes we might use for a library program in September. Everybody got to try out the results--Duncan gave a paws down to both treats, Lauren and the old dogs liked them, and the rest preferred the pumpkin treats over the other one. Back to the internet for more recipes, luckily we have lots of time and lots of willing tasters before the program!