Big Day for Emy's Pups

Yesterday's weather was pretty good... bright sunshine, in the 60s... if it's the same today, by this afternoon, the ground should be dry enough to get Scout (black/tan) and Finn (blond) out for their photo session. AND they should do more than just hover in the grass.

I opened the door to the deck yesterday and then open the door to the puppy pen. First time that hasn't been a solid wall when they're running around. As usual, Least White was through it in a flash and then right back inside, looking REALLY surprised. Back out she went, jumping up and over the door jam like it was an Olympics event. The other pups gathered around the opening and watched her scurry through the leaves. Then Black with Most White stepped out... and almost fell on his nose because he failed to see the jam was about two inches higher than the floor of the deck. This IS the first time they've had a "step" to deal with. The third pup into the great unknown was 50/50. Eventually, they were all running back and forth. EXCEPT for Finn. No way this guy would ever be mistaken for Marco Polo! He's about as cautious a pup as I've ever seen! It took him almost a half hour to take the plunge. And by that time, two of the pups had managed to make it all the way down the steps and were chasing each other up and down the walkway. Guess which two. Ok, time's up. Those who said the parti girls get an "A." Thinking they might be a little frightened (fat chance,) I went down the steps after them and was surprised when Black with Least White followed me... well, he went down 3 steps and then JUMPED the rest of the way. Before I could grab him to make sure he wasn't hurt, he whirled around and climbed back up to the deck, followed by 50/50. Neither of them had much trouble in either direction. Granted the pups are almost 10 weeks old, but they're still little. And this was their first time around stairs. Most White wasn't ready to go in... she kept running up and down the gravel, not getting close enough for me to get my hands on her. And my two star steps-pupils were busy going down a few steps, waiting for the other pups to follow, and then leading them back up. Even Finn managed to go one step and then get back on the deck all by himself a couple times. Puppies learn so much from each other! They are SO amazing.

And then, an hour after letting them out, I put them back in the pen. They all got a drink, grabbed a couple mouthfuls of food, and went sound to sleep. Except for Finn and Scout... THEY were at the other end of the pen playing The Rock vs Hulk Hogan.

Then, this evening, I opened the puppy pen to let the gang out for their evening play. They made a beeline straight to the door! Which, of course, was closed. So they chewed on the hinge they could reach, the door jam, the bottom of the door. They pawed and dug at the bottom and the floor in front of it. They jumped up and pushed against it. And when none of that worked, they wandered off and did their normal out of the pen for an hour routines, including SOME of them coming to be picked up and the others heading for the hills when I went to get them to be picked up. And every last one of them leaned back in my arm and exposed the belly to be rubbed, I guess under the "if you can't lick 'em, join 'em" premise.