Who's a Smart Puppy NOW?

But first, a contest...
WHO is the actor who plays S Clause in the Belk Cristmas commercial?!
No big prize to the person who supplies me with this information. Just a big BIG "thank you!"

And, now, back to the puppies...
Today, for the very first time, the gang was allowed out in the bedroom. I usually have to free them at 6-7 weeks, but these pups have seemed perfectly happy behind bars. They've loved it when I've come in with them but haven't been too upset that they aren't loose with the other dogs. In the last couple days, however, they've been VERY boisterous about wanting out... and 7 pups yelling at you at one time is boisterous! So this afternoon, I ran everyone out of the house into the snow (yes, I still have plenty of snow) and opened the flood gates. MOST of the pups just crowded into the opening... and went no further. For a few minutes. Then they wandered out. All except #4. He had been trapped in the back of the pack and didn't actually see that he could get out until most of the pups in front of him had moved into the wide open spaces. BUT as soon as he was free, #4 made a beeline for... the big dogs' food bowl! And he stayed there, feasting on the unfamiliar, but obviously delicious, stuff until he could eat no more. Here's the thing: the puppy pen takes up one whole end of the room. It is 14 feet wide. The adult food bowl (one of them) is on the end of the pen AWAY from the gate. Sometimes it gets pushed over against the wire and pups have tried to fish some of the kibble out and over to their side without much success. #4 OBVIOUSLY has put a lot of thought into planning his raid on the adult delights as soon as he was free. He didn't look around at all. He walked through the opening, made a left and went straight to the bowl.

Remember, when picking a pup to live with you for the next 15 years, the trick is to be smarter than he is!