Jetta

Jetta is a delight. I sent a photo of her brindle coat that we love and hope it doesn't change. Jetta loves to be with her family and squeaky toys. The boys start school next week and I am sure she will miss them. Jetta was 30 pounds last week at her check up. The only issue we have is carpet seems to mean a place to potty, my fault I am sure as last time I house trained a pup we had carpet everywhere, now it's only in the bedrooms. Jetta knows down, sit, shake, talk and kennel. She is consistent when asked to sit or down with hand signals as well. Thanks again for the great pup!

Stormy

Stormy went to Puppy Class on Monday night. He is so different than Cutter or Rytar. They both held back, and didn't really join in the puppy fun. Stormy was right in the middle of it. I can tell that he is getting older as he listens better. Of course, no one except Margaret knew what breed he was. Still like the crop ears better, but am getting use to his ears. They are all getting groomed next Wed. I am thinking that I will take him to the nursing homes, I didn't trust him to this point, but he is so soft and the people will be excited to see him. Wish us luck on Friday. If that doesn't work well, he won't go Monday.

Creed waiting for the Tooth Fairy!

From a few days ago:

Creed lost his first two puppy teeth today (top middle incisors). He is 15 weeks 3 days old.

Blade Update!

Just wanted to let you know Blade is doing very well; he is such a smart puppy. He is already house broken(has been for about a week), where he'll go to the door when he needs to go out. I'm working on basic commands which he picks up fast so I will be putting him in a competitive type obedience class sometime this fall. There is also a woman who trains in tracking so once he turns four months I will try him at that and see how he does.
He did excellent at the dog show and had no problem with all the people and dogs there. He made several human friends who absolutely adored him.
Funny though, everyone thought he was a poodle mix as they kept telling me they had never seen a bouvier a puppy before, just an adult. I even put him in a fun puppy class(conformation) but of course we lost since neither of us knew what we were doing.
He's growing fast and it looks like he'll be quite a big boy. He's a real joy to have around.

Gale update

Here we are, ready for puppy class this week!

Gale

This weekend we are hosting a cattle clinic and stockdog trial at our farm; most of the dogs participating will be dogs hoping to trial on cattle and our Trouble will also take part in both the clinic and trial. We have a clinician coming up from Missouri who is very good and who was a friend of Kathy Heilenman - Kathy has passed away but has Gale's Aunt at her home. Gale has been helping set up the trial field and got used to the 4-wheeler and the fence pounder and explored gopher hills while we were working. Both yesterday and today she joined her Grandma Una, her Dad Solo, her Auntie Trouble and her little friend Star in a run through the pasture and into the fishing hole and creek. A great riotous wet time was had by all!

Creed at the Training Club

Creed -
Tracking - Had the training director watch how I laid the tracks and he gave me some good suggestions. After we ran the one that I laid, he laid a short one and Creed nailed the 2 corners very well (Training Director was impressed). Creed had a great time as he loves what he finds in the grass (hot dogs)!! Better than Easter!!! Creed was not bothered by the Training Director talking to me while on the track, or his walking around during the track - Creed wanted the prize in the grass - the heck with everyone else.
Obedience - we are not doing formal training at this time. Will talk to the obedience training director next week about when and what to start. Right now we are doing sit, down, wait, and focus on me in very short positive sessions.
Protection - he watched the last dog in protection and showed more interest than in the last 2 times we were at training. He chased the rag (tied to an old Sh whip) the training director had, caught it and played tug with the training director. After 3 times of this I took him back to the van, running, tug in mouth and whip dragging behind. This was a 50 yard run, up-hill and he did not want to let it go when I got to the van!!



We were very pleased with how well both dogs did. The German Shepherd members are impressed at how well Spice works and how well Creed is learning. Thank you for 2 very good working dogs. More importantly, thank you for 2 great companions!!!

Jetta

Jetta is really picking up speed in the water! she has learned "kennel" this week and to swim to the side of our boat with the swim ladder, I am sure that in time she will figure out how to climb the ladder into the boat.

Zoey

Zoey has been doing exceptionally well. She has been responding to commands, playing fetch, and learned to let us know every time she has to go outside. She hasn't had an accident for almost a month and a half. She also loves the water! Anytime she gets a chance she will run and jump in the pool. She isn't too big on swimming around, she loves to just sit on the first step and lay in the water. She will also stick her face in the water while she splashes around which I thought was pretty unusual for a dog. It's been nice having another dog around to help her release some energy as well as help her learn what's ok and what isn't ok when dogs play together.

The only problem we had was about a week ago, Zoey got a little bit sick and threw up her food for a couple of days. We fed her rice, hot dog, and some other bland foods to help her stomach get back to normal. After a few days she was definitely feeling much better so we started feeding her the nutrisource dog food again, but she threw it up. So we did a little more bland food and mixed in some iams puppy food over the next few days until it was completely just iams puppy food. She hasnt had a problem since. I also tried giving her a single piece of the nutrisource as a treat, but she just spit it out. I can only assume that she is allergic to something in the nutrisource or she connects throwing up to the taste of nutrisource. I think I am going to compare the 2 ingredient labels of nutrisource and iams and see if there is something she might be allergic to.

Also, Zoey's hernia has grown in size just a tiny bit, but i am assuming it is just because she is growing as well. It had a diameter of about a nickel at 8 weeks and now its about the size of a quarter so not really too much difference. The vet had said she will probably have to close it up when she gets spade, but we would talk more about that in our next vet visit. I did call the vet when zoey was sick and throwing up, just to make sure the symptoms weren't linked to the hernia which they weren't.

Hi and thanks for the note about Zoey...it sounds like she's coming along great. Who knows what the deal is with the food - sometimes they change the formula slightly or it might have gotten a little mold during the humidity or she might be starting to teethe and not feel well. At any rate, if the Iams works for you, I guess I'd go ahead and feed it to her although it wouldn't be my first choice for a food -- a million people do seem to feed it. Please - Keep me informed about her hernia; as you know, my vet thought it would go away ~ I guess if it continues to get larger you might want to consider spaying her earlier but I'd leave that to your vet's experience.

Zoey has been doing exceptionally well. She has been responding to commands, playing fetch, and learned to let us know every time she has to go outside. She hasn't had an accident for almost a month and a half. She also loves the water! Anytime she gets a chance she will run and jump in the pool. She isn't too big on swimming around, she loves to just sit on the first step and lay in the water. She will also stick her face in the water while she splashes around which I thought was pretty unusual for a dog. It's been nice having another dog around to help her release some energy as well as help her learn what's ok and what isn't ok when dogs play together.

The only problem we had was about a week ago, Zoey got a little bit sick and threw up her food for a couple of days. We fed her rice, hot dog, and some other bland foods to help her stomach get back to normal. After a few days she was definitely feeling much better so we started feeding her the nutrisource dog food again, but she threw it up. So we did a little more bland food and mixed in some iams puppy food over the next few days until it was completely just iams puppy food. She hasnt had a problem since. I also tried giving her a single piece of the nutrisource as a treat, but she just spit it out. I can only assume that she is allergic to something in the nutrisource or she connects throwing up to the taste of nutrisource. I think I am going to compare the 2 ingredient labels of nutrisource and iams and see if there is something she might be allergic to.

Also, Zoey's hernia has grown in size just a tiny bit, but i am assuming it is just because she is growing as well. It had a diameter of about a nickel at 8 weeks and now its about the size of a quarter so not really too much difference. The vet had said she will probably have to close it up when she gets spade, but we would talk more about that in our next vet visit. I did call the vet when zoey was sick and throwing up, just to make sure the symptoms weren't linked to the hernia which they weren't.

Hi and thanks for the note about Zoey...it sounds like she's coming along great. Who knows what the deal is with the food - sometimes they change the formula slightly or it might have gotten a little mold during the humidity or she might be starting to teethe and not feel well. At any rate, if the Iams works for you, I guess I'd go ahead and feed it to her although it wouldn't be my first choice for a food -- a million people do seem to feed it. Please - Keep me informed about her hernia; as you know, my vet thought it would go away ~ I guess if it continues to get larger you might want to consider spaying her earlier but I'd leave that to your vet's experience.

Bouviers in Service to Dogkind

Creed taking Spice for a walk. this is his community service for the older dogs!!! He such a caring dog!!

And here I thought Spice was trying..trying...trying...to show that little kid how to TRACK! But no, what does HE want to do but play with the line! Kids!!

Creed at the Lake!

pictures of Creed at the lake - next we need to take him wake boarding!!!

See, Jetta, it runs in the family!

Blade Update!

Just wanted to let you see Blade with his new hair cut. I hadn't planned on shaving him down so soon but he lays under the pine trees and got tree sap all over him. He was very good for his first bath and cut.
We have an AKC all breed dog show here every year and this year it's this coming up weekend; since it's an outside show you can bring your own dogs. So Saturday he'll be going to the dog show. I'm real interested to see how he'll handle all the people and dogs.
He is doing great and has adjusted very well to his new life Thanks again!

Yes, the tree sap! We have moved the play yard away from under the pines for just that reason!

Jetta Update!

Our first class went well, took a while for Jetta to really focus but she did every task asked of her

and was not terribly easily distracted. We continue to visit strip malls, Pets Smarts and farmers markets for socialization

We have had house training setback this week as Jetta is NOT a fan of the heat. She will tinkle outside

but made up her mind that #2's should happen in the house! We were outside and I KNEW she had to go potty,

she went to the door and asked to go in, I said, "go Potty" Jetta said, "bark, bark, bark" This exchange

went on for several minutes until she marched down the driveway, used the grass to potty on then ran back

to the house!

She is a smart cookie!

We added puppy lamb and rice from Nutro as she didnt like the Taste of the Wild so much. She has a better appetite now.

She likes to swim. As long as the lake is fairly calm. I think she really gets a kick out of it. We have a Pontoon boat and she enjoys that as well.