8 Weeks Old Today

Afternoon ouside, the pups becoming bolder and bolder about exploring.
Here, they all are 50-60 feet away from me (with Keogh confined in the house.)

Then, Ke had been allowed out with them for a while when a rain storm dropped by unannounced... no thunder or lightning or even cloudiness... and Ke headed for the house, followed closely by the gang. That's Bud-Light bringing up the rear because, as usual, he was the farthest away.


There will be individual pix of the 4 on the website in a little bit.

Weights
Do I know my stuff or what... some times, anyway! From under 2.5 pounds at 4 weeks to 9 (yes, NINE) at 8. The three boys are all right at the 9 pound mark (with Bart and Bud-Light just a tad over) while little Betty stays little. She is only 6.5 pounds.
According to the 10%/every 4 weeks formula, these weights mean the guys will mature around 45 pounds (ideal weight) and Betty will be 30-35. This formula is a fairly good guess enhancer, but not totally accurate.

Shots
All four behaved pretty well when they got their first shot... except Betty wanted to argue a bit. I think she really just wanted down since she'd been in the middle of moving some newspaper out of the pen when I grabbed her. The newspapers have been Shadow's delight for many weeks and now the rest of the gang has joined in. They shred it all over, after rearranging every sheet I put in there.
BUT they ARE using it reliably so if they want it in a different location, that's fine with me!

A night out
Keogh spent the night in the bedroom! In fact, yesterday, once she decided the pups were in a safe place in the dog room and had spent some time playing with them in the yard, she ignored them completely. And THEY didn't seem to mind.
One interesting thing, when the storm rolled in, I took Shadow, Betty and Bud inside but Bart had already found shelter under a bush and I wasn't crawling under there after him! I left the door open and then got busy on the computer, forgetting about him. Ke did too or so I thought. She slept on the floor by my feet for a while... the storm was a short, light one... then eventually, she went back outside. And stayed there for over an hour. When I remembered Bart was still outside, I found them both asleep under the bush. Now THAT is a great mom!
Betty is her mom's favorite, something that became very obvious today. She spent most Of her time with them this afternoon play wrestling and romping with her daughter, getting up and moving off whenever one of the boys jumped in. I often see moms treating their female pups differently than the males.
One last thing...
Considering how mature these babies are, I do not think any of these puppies would have difficulties settling in a new home right now, especially if there was another dog there. And yet, DAILY I see them learning stuff from each other, as well as the rest of the dogs here, which they would not pick up if I let them go at 8 weeks. For one thing, puppies treat puppies differently than dogs treat puppies. Pups are MUCH less tolerant of being bitten too hard, for example, and immediately bite the offender back which is a great teaching/learning technique. Humans tend to NOT bite puppies, relying on voice commands or smacking the biter to correct the behavior. And mature dogs generally just walk away, depriving the pup of its chew toy.

Emy "heat" update
It IS Em the boys are excited about, but, for the life of me, I can't see why. She has NONE of the physical signs of being in season. And yet she is willing to be "friends with benefits" with each and every one of them. Which means, she is NOT going to be with anyone except Sparky, just in case...!

Moving, Moving, Moved

I just moved the pups from the computer room to the dog room (right next door.) For the last couple days, ALL the males in the house have been telling me someone is in heat. I think it is Emy (BUT don't get excited. It's WAAY too soon and if she IS cycling, she's probably not going to "take" if I breed her. BUT I am going to breed her, if it is her and not little Peri, just in case I'm wrong. Again.) However, the problem is the dogs are fussing with each other, even in the middle of the night, and the only really separate pen I have is the one the pups were in in the computer room. So now I'll have to listen to the boys barking at the puppies... until they get used to them (about 24 hours...) but they won't be fighting with each other.

The puppies are a little confused with the move, but not upset. It's good for them! Keogh was NOT pleased and I'm going to let her stay with them all day if she wants... yesterday she was away from them from about 10AM till midnight.

We did not get outside this weekend... partially because of weather but mostly because I was feeling poorly and didn't want to expend the energy. Perhaps this afternoon since I'm feeling better... IF it doesn't pour as usual lately.

Pups will be 8 weeks tomorrow! Hard to believe. They get weighed again AND their first shots. Also have to clip those nails! So if we do get out today, I'll take the camera.

Lucky
(Jennifer's pup)
Getting a lot of response to his pictures on the website, but no one has decided to give him a chance as yet. He's no trouble and quite likeable, so I'm in no rush to place him.

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This "o" business is still no fun!

Problem with Old Computer

This time it's the "o" key which isn't working. Yeah, yeah, I know, I've already used several of them. Well, a long time ago, I learned to cut and paste. However, remembering to do every time is problematic! So, insert where needed!

Mountain Summit Peridot
(aka Peri)
This is my Diamond/Brogue girl on her 8 months birthday. She is VERY small, smaller even than her mom who is around 18 pounds. Since I have so many people asking for pups who'll be under 25 pounds, I'm hoping breeding Peri with Sparky will give me some... although, when bred to Peri's FULL older sister, Emy (Emerald) most of his pups have been over that. But, Emy is about twice Peri's weight.




Peri with her mom, Diamond (Di)



Keogh almost over the pups
Ke is spending more and more time WILLINGLY away from the pups who are, after all, almost 8 weeks. AND have teeth. She's following me around (just like the old days) and just listening for the pups to sound off about something important. Come lights out, however, she wants back in the pen with them.

Do you know how many "o"s you use in just one sentence?!

New Freedom

And probably a mistake! The pups are loose in the computer room with full access to the dog room. So far, they have not been brave enough to venture very far into that room where a number of adult dogs are parked, barking every time they see a pup. Together and individually, they've come to me to be picked up and rubbed. Just like when they were outside, Bud has wandered the farthest while Shadow has stuck closest to me. HE has discovered my shoes and like most pups, is tickled to death to have shoe laces to pull on and chew. They are making short work of every electric cord (take this as a warning... put the cords up!) scrap of paper and dust ball in the computer room! They are chewing up the bag of dogfood... not the dogfood, just the bag (which I am now going to have to put in a plastic container to keep it from happening every time the babies are out.) Their mom just came in from outdoors and they all rushed up to her... she looked none too pleased to see them outside their pen and promptly took herself INSIDE the pen. They followed, did a little suckling, then headed back out to see what else they could get into. She's lying there, watching them. I let out Diamond, Emy and Peri who instead of going right out the door, went to inspect the puppies. Diamond and Emy each sniffed a couple and walked away. Peri threw herself on the floor, rolled on her back, jumped up and nuzzled the kids, dropped back to the floor... and made it perfectly plain that she wanted to PLAY! In a week or two, I'll let her go outside with them... she is MUCH more a puppy still than Boon and Lucky*** who are the same age, but I don't want to let her rough house with them until they're a little bigger. She's already counting the days!

These four have been SO terrific... they love it when I'm in the room with them and really pay attention whenever I speak to them... BUT they have been perfectly content to stay in their own area. Now... they'll probably have to be out whenever they see me. Oh the joys of growing up!

***
Jennifer's last pup
I've been calling him Bud but I'm pretty sure he dosen't consider that his name. And since there is a Bud in the Double Doodle litter (who also is telling me that's not his name,) I decided to call him something else. Yesterday, he responded immediately when I called him Lucky, so we're going with that for now.

Tommy Tomato

Pretty good size, I think, for just 4 weeks. And yes, Tommy is confined inside a wire dog crate. The last few years I've lost my tomato plants to critters... I DO live in the country, after all... so the crate is my solution. It is 42 inches tall, by the way, and Tom is hanging out of the top. I'm hoping the coons and possum won't climb....

Pix of Cotton and Boon

Taken this afternoon between showers. Hasn't he grown up quickly!

Pix of the last Jennifer pup

Isn't this a pretty head piece? This guy is 8 months and just got his first haircut.


"Bud" walks on a lead and rides nicely in the car... he even jumps in himself. However, he is NOT fond of being around folks he doesn't know. As he is exposed more and more to strangers, he is relaxing around them, but he is still leery. He has NEVER shown ANY signs of aggression, NO fear biting even at the groomer's. He is sweet and affectionate and LOVES full body massages! (But NOT on the first date!) He gets along well with other dogs. Bud really needs a home.

Award

We've gotten another award for the website, which tickles me to death since I designed and coded it from start to finish and wrote every word myself.

Awarded to top quality dog and puppies for sale sites.

And, yes, I am well aware these awards are given as a way of promoting the site that gives them. But I like them anyway!

Puppies are 7 weeks old today
and still the most amazing pups I've ever had. People who have known me for years tell me it's the most excited they've ever seen me about a litter. And they're growing like weeds! Must be the abundance of rain we've been having. Tomato plants and puppies! I'm planning to get them outside again this weekend, since it is supposed to be dry and normal temps (mid 80s.) Will take more pix then.

Two Days of Rain

HEAVY rain. 2 inches in less than 48 hours. And more to come.
And I'm fine with it (so far.)
The only problem is the thunder which is disturbing the dogs and, quite frankly, has been a little scary for me at times. It is the LOUDEST, WEIRDEST thunder I've ever hear... like a bomb going off. No warning (ie: no lightning preceding it, no lead in thunder, just a huge [HUGE] BOOM!) And then there is the more common, easy to take rolling thunder which starts in the distance, approaches like a freight train and then rolls on by until you can't hear it any more, all one continuous sound. The dogs aren't having any problem with that. Yesterday afternoon and this afternoon, the storms were over and the dogs got to go outside and STAY out there for a while. And even though the mornings have been really stormy, no one has "gone" in the house... well, except Keogh's pups but that's to be expected and she is still cleaning up after them. Don't know how long THAT is going to last!

Haven't had to water Tommy Tomato... my sole tomato plant... seems to have grown at least a foot since Saturday. There are a number of little yellow blooms, which I think is pretty good for a plant that is only about a month old. Going to have some really nice tomatoes very soon!